The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Aruban global shipments during 2019 presented at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Aruba.

1. Tobacco, manufactured substitutes: US$21.8 million (26.1% of total exports)
2. Beverages: $14.2 million (17%)
3. Gems, precious metals: $9.4 million (11.3%)
4. Perfumes, cosmetics: $6.2 million (7.4%)
5. Electrical machinery, equipment: $2.7 million (3.2%)
6. Stone, plaster, cement, asbestos: $2.5 million (3%)
7. Machinery including computers: $2.3 million (2.8%)
8. Vehicles: $2.3 million (2.8%)
9. Iron, steel: $2.1 million (2.6%)
10. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2 million (2.4%)

Aruba’s top 10 exports accounted for over three-quarters (78.6%) of the overall value of its global shipments.

Stone, plaster, cement and asbestos was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 6,749% from 2018 to 2019. In second place for improving export sales was electric machinery and equipment thanks to a 119.4% appreciation. Aruba’s shipments of tobacco including manufactured substitutes posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 101.1%.

The leading decliner among Aruba’s top 10 export categories was beverages which fell -17.5% year over year.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, cigars and cigarettes were Aruba’s most valuable exported product at 26.1% of the island’s total. In second place were alcoholic beverages including spirits and liqueurs (15.7%) trailed by jewelry (10%), personal toiletry, shaving preparations and deodorants (3.3%), monument and building stones or art (3%), iron or steel scrap (2.4%), beauty, makeup and skin care preparations (2.2%), wrist or pocket watches without precious metal case (2%), current or new unused stamps (1.7%), electric generating sets or converters (1.6%) then nickel waste or scrap (1.5%).

The following types of Aruban 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. Nickel: US$1.3 million (Up by 20.2% since 2018)
2. Aircraft, spacecraft: $36,000 (Reversing a -$1.2 million deficit)
3. Lead: $31,000 (Down by -75.6%)

From a metals perspective, Aruba has positive net exports in the international trade of nickel and lead in 2019. In turn, these cashflows indicate Aruba’s competitive advantages under these metal categories.

Overall Aruba incurred a -$1.24 billion trade deficit for 2019, up 4.1% from -$1.19 billion in red ink one year earlier.

Below are exports from Aruba that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Aruba’s goods trail Aruban importer spending on foreign products.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: -US$118.4 million (Up by 43.3% since 2018)
2. Machinery including computers: -$91.9 million (Down by -4.3%)
3. Vehicles: -$78.1 million (Down by -7%)
4. Mineral fuels including oil: -$68.9 million (Down by -10.2%)
5. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: -$54.9 million (Up by 7.6%)
6. Beverages: -$52 million (Up by 7.8%)
7. Meat: -$51.8 million (Up by 7.5%)
8. Gems, precious metals: -$39.8 million (Up by 1.9%)
9. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$35.6 million (Up by 18.4%)
10. Pharmaceuticals: -$35.2 million (Up by 6.7%)

Aruba has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under electrical machinery and equipment and the machinery including computers categories.

Aruban Export Companies

Not one Aruban corporations rank among the Forbes Global 2000 listing.

Wikipedia also lists exports-related companies from Aruba, as does the e-commerce website Alibaba. Selected examples are shown below:

• Aruba Airlines (airliner)
• Caribbean Paint Factory (paint, coatings)
• Go! Trading (alcoholic drinks)
• Govaard Trading Company (auto parts)
• Mag Development Freezone (heavy equipment)
• N.V. Elmar (electricity)