The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Haitian global shipments during 2019. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Haiti.

1. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: US$960.9 million (72.7% of total exports)
2. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $136.5 million (10.3%)
3. Fish: $62.2 million (4.7%)
4. Perfumes, cosmetics: $39.5 million (3%)
5. Miscellaneous textiles, worn clothing: $16 million (1.2%)
6. Fruits, nuts: $13.7 million (1%)
7. Electrical machinery, equipment: $12.4 million (0.9%)
8. Iron, steel: $11.9 million (0.9%)
9. Cocoa: $10.2 million (0.8%)
10. Headgear: $7.3 million (0.6%)

Haiti’s top 10 exports accounted for 96.1% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Headgear was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 184.4% from 2018 to 2019. In second place for improving export sales was fish via a 123% gain. Haiti’s shipments of cocoa posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 68.3%.

The leading decliner among Haiti’s top 10 export categories was perfumes and cosmetics, thanks to a -44% drop year over year.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, knitted or crocheted t-shirts and vests represent Haiti’s most valuable exported product at 41.5% of the country’s total. In second place was knitted or crocheted jerseys and pullovers (19.8%) trailed by knitted or crocheted women’s clothing (7.5%), unknitted and non-crocheted men’s suits and trousers (4.8%), live fish (4.3%), essential oils (2.9%), unknitted and non-crocheted men’s shirts (2.2%), unknitted and non-crocheted tracksuits and swimwear (1.7%), unknitted and non-crocheted women’s clothing (1.2%) and miscellaneous furnishings (also 1.2%).

The following types of Haitian 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. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: US$854 million (Up by 31.9% since 2018)
2. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $126.4 million (Down by -14.4%)
3. Fish: $44.2 million (Reversing a -$7.8 million deficit)
4. Fruits, nuts: $12.8 million (Reversing a -$5.9 million deficit)
5. Perfumes, cosmetics: $11.5 million (Down by -63.1%)
6. Cocoa: $9.4 million (Up by 283.5%)
7. Headgear: $6.4 million (Up by 460.3%)
8. Copper: $6.1 million (Down by -18.9%)
9. Feathers, artificial flowers, hair: $3.7 million (Up by 71.2%)
10. Raw hides, skins not furskins, leather: $1.6 million (Up by 10.7%)

Haiti has highly positive net exports in the international trade of clothing and related accessories. In turn, these cashflows indicate Haiti’s strong competitive advantages under the clothing and accessories product categories.

Overall Haiti incurred an estimated -$1.3 billion trade deficit for 2019 down by -55% from -$2.9 billion in red ink one year earlier.

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

1. Mineral fuels including oil: -US$287.9 million (Down by -7.1% since 2018)
2. Cereals: -$277.3 million (Down by -3.7%)
3. Knit or crochet fabric: -$171.5 million (Down by -11.8%)
4. Machinery including computers: -$128.1 million (Down by -31.3%)
5. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$123.8 million (Down by -19.2%)
6. Vehicles: -$108.2 million (Down by -46.6%)
7. Iron, steel: -$95.5 million (Down by -29.6%)
8. Meat: -$85.8 million (Down by -13.7%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: -$73.2 million (Down by -58.7%)
10. Dairy, eggs, honey: -$56.2 million (Down by -26.1%)

Haiti has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels-related product category. These product-specific negative balances are largely for refined petroleum oils.

Haitian Export Companies

Not one Haitian corporation ranks among Forbes Global 2000.

Wikipedia lists some exports-related companies from Haiti. Selected examples are shown below.

• Brasserie de la Couronne (soft drinks)
• Brasserie Nationale d’Haïti (brewery)
• Comme Il Faut (tobacco)
• Handxom (electronics)
• Rhum Barbancourt (alcoholic beverages)
• Sûrtab (computer hardware including tablets)
• Unibank (commercial bank)