That dollar amount reflects a 42% upturn compared to $696.9 billion five years earlier during 2021.
Year over year, the total value of goods exported from the powerhouse European Union member accelerated by 41.5% from $699.3 billion in 2024.
The biggest 5 exports from the Netherlands by dollar value are refined petroleum oils, phone devices including smartphones, computers or optical devices, blood fractions including antisera then medication mixes in dosage. Combined, that quintet of major exports represents over one-fifth (21.9%) of money collected by the Netherlands for its shipments during 2025.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Netherlands uses the euro which strengthened via a 4.4% gain against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. The stronger European Union currency made the Netherlands’ exports paid for in weaker US dollars modestly more expensive for international buyers starting with American currency.
Major Customers for Exports from the Netherlands
The latest available country-specific data shows that 71% of products exported from Netherlands was bought by importers in: Germany (22.4% of the Dutch total), Belgium (10.5%), France (7.9%), United Kingdom (5.8%), United States of America (4.9%), Italy (4.4%), Spain (3.9%), Poland (3.4%), mainland China (2.4%), Sweden (2.3%), Czech Republic (1.71%) and Switzerland (1.41%).
From a continental perspective, 79.3% of the Netherlands’ exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 10.9% was sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 6.2% worth of goods to customers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to buyers in Africa (1.8%), Latin America (1.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Also, note that the value of exports from the Netherlands sold to fellow European Union members equaled 67.9% of overall Netherlands’ export sales, up from 66.2% one year prior.
Given the Dutch population of 18.05 million people, the Netherlands’ total US$989.7 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $54,800 for every resident in the northwest European country with a northern coastline along the North Sea. That dollar amount lags the average $40,500 per capita one year earlier in 2024.
Netherlands Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Dutch global shipments during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from the Netherlands.
- Machinery including computers: US$150.5 billion (15.2% of total exports)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $124.6 billion (12.6%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $114.7 billion (11.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $76.6 billion (7.7%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $58.8 billion (5.9%)
- Vehicles: $35.7 billion (3.6%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $28.5 billion (2.9%)
- Organic chemicals: $20.7 billion (2.1%)
- Other chemical goods: $18.9 billion (1.9%)
- Iron, steel: $15.6 billion (1.6%)
The Netherlands’ top 10 export product categories approached two-thirds (65.1%) of the overall value of the European country’s global shipments.
Pharmaceuticals represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 169.8% from 2024 to 2025.
In second place for improving export sales was electrical machinery and equipment via a 103.1% advance.
The Netherlands’ shipments of machinery including computers posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 53.2%.
The most modest increase among the Netherlands’ top 10 export categories was for exports of organic chemicals, thanks to a year-over-year 6% gain.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the section below.
Searchable List of Most Valuable Dutch Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from the Netherlands during 2025. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2024.
| Rank | Export Product | Value (US$) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Processed petroleum oils | $53,896,832,000 | -9.9% |
| 2 | Phone devices including smartphones | $45,682,917,000 | +128.3% |
| 3 | Computers, optical readers | $45,676,176,000 | +183.8% |
| 4 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $37,828,484,000 | +323% |
| 5 | Medication mixes in dosage | $33,197,261,000 | +109.3% |
| 6 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $29,542,420,000 | +13.1% |
| 7 | ALERT! | $28,439,374,000 | +34.7% |
| 8 | Crude oil | $25,206,182,000 | +47.9% |
| 9 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $22,324,036,000 | +30.9% |
| 10 | Orthopedic appliances | $16,271,023,000 | +36.1% |
| 11 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $14,978,258,000 | +418.5% |
| 12 | Cars | $10,109,043,000 | +222.2% |
| 13 | Computer parts, accessories | $9,526,796,000 | +229.5% |
| 14 | Printing machinery | $8,630,188,000 | +28.7% |
| 15 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $7,455,440,000 | +195% |
| 16 | Automobile parts/accessories | $7,277,914,000 | +56.9% |
| 17 | Electrical converters/power units | $7,211,146,000 | +55.8% |
| 18 | Biodiesel | $6,870,506,000 | +19.6% |
| 19 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $6,678,222,000 | +71.7% |
| 20 | Tractors | $6,458,252,000 | +1.1% |
| 21 | Cheese, curd | $6,450,114,000 | +11.8% |
| 22 | Fresh or dried flowers (for bouquets, ornamental) | $6,315,405,000 | +20.9% |
| 23 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $6,193,010,000 | -20.8% |
| 24 | Miscellaneous live plants | $5,919,954,000 | +10.4% |
| 25 | Other food preparations | $5,637,183,000 | +23.3% |
| 26 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $5,505,018,000 | +57.4% |
| 27 | Cocoa butter, fat, oil | $5,441,256,000 | +76.7% |
| 28 | Electric storage batteries | $5,323,457,000 | +169.6% |
| 29 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $5,066,443,000 | +12.2% |
| 30 | Turbo-jets | $4,688,297,000 | +34% |
| 31 | Fresh or chilled beef | $4,609,836,000 | +37.6% |
| 32 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $4,541,536,000 | +57.1% |
| 33 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $4,459,030,000 | +106% |
| 34 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $4,234,717,000 | +115.1% |
| 35 | Trucks | $4,218,247,000 | +13% |
| 36 | Table games, bowling equipment | $4,173,866,000 | +274.9% |
| 37 | Unrecorded sound media | $4,056,894,000 | +228.7% |
| 38 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $3,940,731,000 | +0.8% |
| 39 | Poultry meat | $3,780,288,000 | +20.7% |
| 40 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $3,646,064,000 | +15.3% |
| 41 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $3,556,189,000 | +14.9% |
| 42 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $3,522,951,000 | -7.5% |
| 43 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $3,457,466,000 | +31.3% |
| 44 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $3,457,427,000 | +33.2% |
| 45 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $3,408,865,000 | +20.2% |
| 46 | X-ray equipment | $3,398,413,000 | +6.1% |
| 47 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $3,303,748,000 | +51.2% |
| 48 | Footwear (leather) | $3,162,770,000 | +20.4% |
| 49 | Ethylene polymers | $3,128,618,000 | -2.3% |
| 50 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $3,119,123,000 | +224% |
| 51 | Insulated wire/cable | $3,102,414,000 | +23.2% |
| 52 | Sowing seeds, fruits, spores | $3,069,891,000 | +13.6% |
| 53 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $3,067,023,000 | +51.9% |
| 54 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $2,991,565,000 | +17.8% |
| 55 | Piston engine parts | $2,948,641,000 | +14.5% |
| 56 | Iron or steel scrap | $2,927,036,000 | +9.6% |
| 57 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $2,873,944,000 | +7.7% |
| 58 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (frozen) | $2,872,869,000 | -1.7% |
| 59 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $2,829,660,000 | +16.4% |
| 60 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2,816,756,000 | +64.8% |
| 61 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $2,792,844,000 | +35.4% |
| 62 | Swine meat | $2,772,425,000 | +2.5% |
| 63 | Miscellaneous fruits (fresh) | $2,769,033,000 | +56% |
| 64 | Miscellaneous machinery | $2,722,612,000 | +17% |
| 65 | Rubber tires (new) | $2,722,092,000 | +15.8% |
| 66 | Iron ferroalloys | $2,717,245,000 | +190.5% |
| 67 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $2,710,103,000 | +57.2% |
| 68 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $2,665,089,000 | +39.4% |
| 69 | Cocoa paste | $2,664,132,000 | +49.6% |
| 70 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2,651,696,000 | +65% |
| 71 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $2,644,066,000 | +15.9% |
| 72 | Footwear (textile) | $2,638,087,000 | +64.1% |
| 73 | Industrial preparation machinery | $2,634,515,000 | +16.3% |
| 74 | Fish fillets, pieces | $2,615,626,000 | +40.8% |
| 75 | Radioactive chemical elements | $2,607,542,000 | -8% |
| 76 | Miscellaneous furniture | $2,597,160,000 | +47.8% |
| 77 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $2,583,624,000 | +14.4% |
| 78 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $2,581,955,000 | +41.4% |
| 79 | Butter | $2,577,079,000 | +31% |
| 80 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $2,560,138,000 | +43.7% |
| 81 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $2,546,640,000 | +42.2% |
| 82 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $2,518,079,000 | +47.7% |
| 83 | Lifting/loading machinery | $2,500,604,000 | +2.5% |
| 84 | Cocoa powder (no added sugar) | $2,476,965,000 | +96.7% |
| 85 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $2,429,390,000 | +20.9% |
| 86 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $2,424,483,000 | +23.9% |
| 87 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $2,351,988,000 | +15% |
| 88 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $2,350,172,000 | -25.6% |
| 89 | Tomatoes (fresh or chilled) | $2,279,455,000 | +19.6% |
| 90 | Acyclic alcohols | $2,250,666,000 | +5.1% |
| 91 | Other measuring/testing machines | $2,241,768,000 | +31.2% |
| 92 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $2,185,545,000 | +17.2% |
| 93 | Iron ores, concentrates | $2,183,985,000 | +1163% |
| 94 | Scents used for beverage or industrial manufacturing | $2,167,881,000 | +50.1% |
| 95 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $2,163,084,000 | +76.2% |
| 96 | Air or vacuum pumps | $2,157,244,000 | +20% |
| 97 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $2,151,751,000 | +51.9% |
| 98 | Machinery parts | $2,134,771,000 | +9.1% |
| 99 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $2,114,205,000 | +64.6% |
| 100 | Motorcycles | $2,097,322,000 | +26.3% |
By value, these 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$674.7 billion or over two-thirds (68.2%) for all products exported from the Netherlands during 2025.
Products Generating Greatest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands
The Netherlands earned a US$118.4 billion trade surplus in 2025, a positive trade balance that expanded by 51.5% from the $78.2 billion surplus one year earlier in 2024.
The following types of Dutch product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus.
Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Machinery including computers: US$32 billion (Up by 33.8% since 2024)
- Pharmaceuticals: $18.2 billion (Up by 188%)
- Live trees, plants, cut flowers: $11.4 billion (Up by 12.8%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $11.1 billion (Up by 21.2%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $7.9 billion (Up by 11.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $7.4 billion (Down by -11.8%)
- Vegetables: $6.9 billion (Up by 14.8%)
- Meat: $6.7 billion (Up by 6.9%)
- Miscellaneous food preparations: $4.2 billion (Up by 17.1%)
- Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $3.9 billion (Up by 3.1%)
Netherlands has highly positive net exports in the international trade of machines including computers. In turn, these cashflows indicate strong competitive advantages for the Netherlands under the machinery product category.
Products Causing Worst Trade Deficits for the Netherlands
Below are exports from the Netherlands that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country goods trail Dutch importer spending on foreign products.
- Vehicles: -US$8.7 billion (Down by -9.4% since 2024)
- Mineral fuels including oil: -$8.1 billion (Up by 26.1%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$3.3 billion (Up by 4.6%)
- Wood: -$3 billion (Up by 16.3%)
- Cereals: -$2.9 billion (Up by 2.2%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: -$2.1 billion (Up by 19.7%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: -$1.7 billion (Up by 178.6%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$1.2 billion (Down by -30.3%)
- Ores, slag, ash: -$1.1 billion (Down by -13.3%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$984.2 million (Down by -55.9%)
Netherlands has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for vehicles. Notable surpluses under that product category include tractors, motorcycles and special purpose motor vehicles.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate the Netherlands’ competitive disadvantages in the international electronics and energy markets, but also represent key opportunities for the Netherlands to improve its position in the global economy through focused innovations.
Dutch Export Companies
Twenty-seven Dutch corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Dutch export companies headquartered in the Netherlands that Forbes included.
- Ageas (diversified insurance)
- Akzo Nobel (diversified chemicals)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASM International N.V. (semiconductors)
- ASML Holding (semiconductors)
- DSM (diversified chemicals)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Gemalto (electronics)
- Heineken Holding (beverages)
- LyondellBasell Industries (diversified chemicals)
- NXP Semiconductors (semiconductors)
- Philips (industrial conglomerate)
- Royal Dutch Shell (oil & gas operations)
- Unilever (food processing)
According to IMPORTERS.com listings for Dutch suppliers, the following are also examples of relatively smaller companies that ship products from the Netherlands. Shown within parenthesis are products that the Dutch business provides.
- Bless Ya, Inc (young girls apparel)
- Ciparo (paper, plastics)
- Daqso International (toiletries, cosmetics, perfumes)
- Floorkinderkleding (children clothing)
- Holland Metals & Raw Materials (non-ferrous metals, steel scrap)
- King-Boats (inflatable craft)
- Lagwo Trading Inc NV (crude oil, petroleum)
- Powerview Technology BV (surveillance products)
- Raisina Exports (dried fruits, nuts)
- Shipside Tax Free Cars BV (automobiles)
In macroeconomic terms, the Netherlands’ total exported goods represent 64.8% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 ($1.526 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 64.8% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2025 compares to 49.7% for 2024. Those percentages suggest a relatively increasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Netherlands’ total economic performance, albeit based on a short timeframe.
Also, please note that those metrics include a significant amount of re-exporting activity.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. The unemployment rate for the Netherlands averaged 3.839% for 2025, up from the average 3.659% for 2024 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
See also Netherlands Top 10 Imports, Netherlands Top 10 Major Export Companies and Netherlands Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 10, 2026
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on April 10, 2026
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 10, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on April 10, 2026
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on April 10, 2026
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2025). Accessed on April 10, 2026