The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Trinidadian/Tobagonian global shipments during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Trinidad and Tobago.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$5.8 billion (53% of total exports)
2. Organic chemicals: $1.9 billion (17.4%)
3. Inorganic chemicals: $1.3 billion (12%)
4. Iron, steel: $643.2 million (5.8%)
5. Fertilizers: $352.1 million (3.2%)
6. Machinery including computers: $145.3 million (1.3%)
7. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $61.2 million (0.6%)
8. Other chemical goods: $49.9 million (0.5%)
9. Cereal/milk preparations: $29.1 million (0.3%)
10. Miscellaneous food preparations: $28.8 million (0.3%)

Trinidad and Tobago’s top 10 exports are highly concentrated, accounting for 94.2% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Miscellaneous chemical goods represent the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up by 69.2% since 2017.

In second place for improving export sales was the machinery including computers category thanks to its 42.3% increase.

Trinidad and Tobago ‘s shipments of organic chemicals posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 33.2%.

The leading decliner among Trinidad and Tobago’s top 10 export categories was the cereal or milk preparations via a -60.2% slowdown year over year.

Overall Trinidad and Tobago achieved a $5.5 billion trade surplus for 2018, up by 46.8% from $3.7 billion in black ink one year earlier.

The following types of Trinidadian/Tobagonian 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.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$4.7 billion (Up by 18.2% since 2017)
2. Organic chemicals: $1.9 billion (Up by 33.3%)
3. Inorganic chemicals: $1.3 billion (Up by 7.6%)
4. Iron, steel: $520.1 million (Up by 15.9%)
5. Fertilizers: $348.5 million (Down by -3.3%)
6. Salt, sulphur, stone, cement: $14.4 million (Up by 99.9%)
7. Beverages, spirits, vinegar: $14.1 million (Down by -44.9%)
8. Collector items, art, antiques: $1.6 million (Up by 758.8%)
9. Other base metals: $260,000 (Reversing a -$298,000 deficit)
10. Silk: -$3,000 (Reversing a -$3,000 deficit)

Trinidad and Tobago has highly positive net exports in the international trade of petroleum gases and refined petroleum oils. In turn, these cashflows indicate Trinidad and Tobago’s strong competitive advantages under the mineral fuels including oil product category.

Below are exports from Trinidad and Tobago that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Trinidad and Tobago’s goods trail Trinidadian/Tobagonian importer spending on foreign products.

1. Machinery including computers: -US$624.7 million (Down by -16.5% since 2017)
2. Vehicles: -$360.4 million (Down by -11.5%)
3. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$272 million (Down by -30%)
4. Ores, slag, ash: -$216.4 million (Down by -8.4%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: -$173.7 million (Up by 16%)
6. Articles of iron or steel: -$157.3 million (Up by 9.8%)
7. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$126.7 million (Up by 27.4%)
8. Dairy, eggs, honey: -$105.1 million (Down by -1.1%)
9. Meat: -$82.1 million (Down by -3.8%)
10. Aircraft, spacecraft: -$80.7 million (Down by -17.4%)

Trinidad and Tobago has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the machinery including computers category.

Trinidadian/Tobagonian Export Companies

Not one Trinidadian/Tobagonian corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000.

Wikipedia lists exports-related companies from Trinidad and Tobago. Selected examples are shown below:

• Atlantic LNG (natural gas)
• Atlas Engineering Limited (construction materials)
• Bermudez Biscuit Company (confectionary foods)
• Carib Brewery (alcoholic beverages)
• Flavorite Ice Cream (dairy products)
• Kiss Baking Company Limited (baked goods)
• National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (natural gas)
• Petrotrin (oil, gas)
• S. M. Jaleel and Company (beverages)
• Solo Beverage Company (soft drinks)