That dollar amount reflects a 64.3% upturn from $587.9 billion during 2018.
Year over year, the total value of goods exported from the powerhouse European Union member accelerated by 38.6% from $696.9 billion in 2021.
The biggest 5 exports from the Netherlands by dollar value are refined petroleum oils, computers, phone devices including smartphones, medication mixes in dosage, and blood fractions including antisera. Combined, that quintet of major exports represents over one-fifth (20.9%) of money collected by the Netherlands for shipments during 2022.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2022, the Netherlands uses the euro which depreciated by -12.1% against the US dollar since 2018 and weakened by -12.3% from 2021 to 2022. The weaker European Union currency in 2022 made Dutch exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive for international buyers.
Major Customers for Exports from the Netherlands
The latest available country-specific data shows that 66.8% of products exported from the Netherlands were bought by importers in: Germany (21.8% of Netherlands’ total), Belgium (11%), France (8%), United Kingdom (5.2%), United States of America (3.97%), Italy (3.75%), Spain (3.1%), Poland (2.8%), Sweden (2.3%), mainland China (2%), Czech Republic (1.6%) and Austria (1.3%).
From a continental perspective, 79.2% of the Netherlands’ exports by value were delivered to fellow European countries while 10.6% were sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 5.5% worth of goods to North America.
Smaller percentages went to Africa (2.6%), Latin America (1.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.6%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given the Dutch population of 17.6 million people, Netherlands’ total $965.8 billion in 2022 exports translates to roughly $55,000 for every resident in the northwest European country with a northern coastline along the North Sea. That average dollar amount eclipses the $39,600 per capita one year earlier in 2021.
Netherlands Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Dutch global shipments during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from the Netherlands.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$188.8 billion (19.6% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $122.1 billion (12.6%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $114.5 billion (11.9%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $53.1 billion (5.5%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $46.6 billion (4.8%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $35 billion (3.6%)
- Vehicles: $31.8 billion (3.3%)
- Organic chemicals: $26.7 billion (2.8%)
- Other chemical goods: $24.1 billion (2.5%)
- Iron, steel: $20.8 billion (2.2%)
The Netherlands’ top 10 exports exceeded two-thirds (68.7%) of the overall value of its global shipments.
Mineral fuels including oil represents the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 115.1% from 2021 to 2022. That percentage increase was propelled by higher international sales of refined petroleum oils, petroleum gas and coal shipped from the Netherlands.
In second place for improving export sales was electrical machinery and equipment via a 63.1% gain.
Netherlands’ shipments of pharmaceuticals posted the third-fastest gain in value, rising 42.7% year over year.
The most modest increase among Netherlands’ top 10 export categories was plastics plus articles made from plastic, thanks to its 8.1% expansion.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the section below.
Searchable List of Most Valuable Dutch Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from the Netherlands during 2022. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2021.
| Rank | Dutch Export Product | Value (US$) | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Processed petroleum oils | $79,289,290,000 | +51.4% |
| 2 | Computers, optical readers | $37,350,257,000 | +158% |
| 3 | Phone devices including smartphones | $37,285,875,000 | +93% |
| 4 | Medication mixes in dosage | $26,522,468,000 | +37.6% |
| 5 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $21,530,254,000 | +90.9% |
| 6 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $21,328,164,000 | +6.3% |
| 7 | Crude oil | $20,636,928,000 | +10767% |
| 8 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $17,559,504,000 | +30.4% |
| 9 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $17,075,676,000 | +10.6% |
| 10 | Orthopedic appliances | $12,552,892,000 | +10.4% |
| 11 | Biodiesel | $10,730,396,000 | +32.1% |
| 12 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $10,169,652,000 | +274.8% |
| 13 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $9,781,023,000 | +1018% |
| 14 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $9,484,505,000 | +158.9% |
| 15 | Cars | $8,668,100,000 | +62.5% |
| 16 | Printing machinery | $8,524,124,000 | +5.7% |
| 17 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $8,361,674,000 | +47.3% |
| 18 | Tractors | $6,894,821,000 | +10.6% |
| 19 | Electrical converters/power units | $6,812,590,000 | +80.4% |
| 20 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $6,641,305,000 | +57.5% |
| 21 | Computer parts, accessories | $6,074,685,000 | +99.5% |
| 22 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $5,883,708,000 | +2% |
| 23 | Cheese, curd | $5,549,264,000 | +21.1% |
| 24 | Miscellaneous live plants | $5,495,055,000 | -11.4% |
| 25 | Fresh or dried flowers (for bouquets, ornamental) | $5,201,922,000 | -10.1% |
| 26 | Automobile parts/accessories | $5,182,351,000 | +12.2% |
| 27 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $5,158,757,000 | +6.6% |
| 28 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $4,788,687,000 | +13.3% |
| 29 | Other food preparations | $4,460,967,000 | +9.9% |
| 30 | Ethylene polymers | $4,374,980,000 | -0% |
| 31 | Iron or steel scrap | $4,105,838,000 | -4.6% |
| 32 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $3,928,120,000 | +1.3% |
| 33 | Turbo-jets | $3,924,501,000 | +23.7% |
| 34 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $3,828,970,000 | +29.1% |
| 35 | Electric storage batteries | $3,688,105,000 | +162.5% |
| 36 | Trucks | $3,653,594,000 | +12.9% |
| 37 | Iron ferroalloys | $3,356,616,000 | +188% |
| 38 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers) | $3,307,603,000 | +23.7% |
| 39 | Fresh or chilled beef | $3,294,221,000 | +18.2% |
| 40 | Poultry meat | $3,277,236,000 | +13% |
| 41 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $3,248,558,000 | +74.9% |
| 42 | Nickel (unwrought) | $3,221,658,000 | +300.3% |
| 43 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $3,172,507,000 | -27.1% |
| 44 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $3,169,330,000 | +14.8% |
| 45 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $2,967,585,000 | +14.4% |
| 46 | Nitrogenous fertilizers | $2,913,354,000 | +57.8% |
| 47 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $2,883,793,000 | +7.5% |
| 48 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $2,850,534,000 | +24.4% |
| 49 | Swine meat | $2,753,814,000 | -8% |
| 50 | X-ray equipment | $2,714,219,000 | +19.5% |
| 51 | Rubber tires (new) | $2,708,576,000 | +4.7% |
| 52 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $2,699,587,000 | +8.7% |
| 53 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $2,686,551,000 | +24.1% |
| 54 | Acyclic alcohols | $2,678,506,000 | +7.3% |
| 55 | Insulated wire/cable | $2,651,589,000 | +28.7% |
| 56 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $2,627,990,000 | +156.6% |
| 57 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $2,621,053,000 | +5.8% |
| 58 | Table games, bowling equipment | $2,620,772,000 | +216.5% |
| 59 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $2,584,448,000 | -0.4% |
| 60 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $2,581,416,000 | +1.8% |
| 61 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $2,537,572,000 | +2.5% |
| 62 | Iron ores, concentrates | $2,489,178,000 | +10574% |
| 63 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $2,483,424,000 | +31.2% |
| 64 | Miscellaneous machinery | $2,457,431,000 | +2.6% |
| 65 | Unrecorded sound media | $2,448,893,000 | +99.2% |
| 66 | Footwear (leather) | $2,389,594,000 | +10.5% |
| 67 | Sowing seeds, fruits, spores | $2,387,579,000 | -5.2% |
| 68 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (frozen) | $2,352,512,000 | +19.4% |
| 69 | Miscellaneous furniture | $2,316,452,000 | +10.7% |
| 70 | Ethyl alcohol | $2,311,987,000 | +42.9% |
| 71 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $2,309,476,000 | +8.7% |
| 72 | Machinery parts | $2,305,916,000 | +11.7% |
| 73 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $2,293,178,000 | +6.6% |
| 74 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $2,284,901,000 | +3.7% |
| 75 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $2,283,414,000 | +4.7% |
| 76 | Motorcycles | $2,274,273,000 | +9.6% |
| 77 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $2,274,229,000 | +2% |
| 78 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $2,242,074,000 | -2% |
| 79 | Lifting/loading machinery | $2,187,484,000 | -1.3% |
| 80 | Malt beer | $2,156,562,000 | -0.4% |
| 81 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $2,155,346,000 | +22.3% |
| 82 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2,127,361,000 | +19.6% |
| 83 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $2,110,600,000 | +145.7% |
| 84 | Butter | $2,108,191,000 | +27.1% |
| 85 | Industrial preparation machinery | $2,099,717,000 | -4.5% |
| 86 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $2,083,438,000 | -3.6% |
| 87 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $2,079,492,000 | +11.7% |
| 88 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $2,064,852,000 | +19.4% |
| 89 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2,012,959,000 | +20.2% |
| 90 | Piston engine parts | $2,008,872,000 | +15.4% |
| 91 | Ethers | $1,983,077,000 | +13.3% |
| 92 | Fish fillets, pieces | $1,970,612,000 | +47.5% |
| 93 | Concentrated/sweetened milk, cream | $1,917,393,000 | +14.5% |
| 94 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1,881,305,000 | +5% |
| 95 | Industrial fatty acids and alcohols | $1,874,279,000 | +20.7% |
| 96 | Print/write/draw inks | $1,868,651,000 | -7.5% |
| 97 | Models, puzzles, miscellaneous toys | $1,856,045,000 | +13.4% |
| 98 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $1,835,915,000 | +14.1% |
| 99 | Trailers | $1,824,136,000 | +23.2% |
| 100 | Tomatoes (fresh or chilled) | $1,823,304,000 | -13.2% |
By value, these 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$600.9 billion or over three-fifths (62.2%) for all products exported from the Netherlands during 2022.
Products Generating Greatest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands
The Netherlands earned a $67.8 billion trade surplus in 2022, a positive trade balance that shrank by -7.8% from the $73.5 billion surplus one year earlier in 2021.
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$19.5 billion (Up by 8.5% since 2021)
- Pharmaceuticals: $11.7 billion (Up by 0.5%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $11.5 billion (Down by -0.2%)
- Live trees, plants, cut flowers: $9.9 billion (Down by -10%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $8.5 billion (Down by -12.5%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $6.6 billion (Up by 22.4%)
- Meat: $5.9 billion (Down by -8.8%)
- Vegetables: $5.1 billion (Down by -2.6%)
- Other chemical goods: $4.5 billion (Up by 26.4%)
- Organic chemicals: $4.2 billion (Down by -21.8%)
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.
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -US$13.09 billion (Up by 42.4% since 2021)
- Mineral fuels including oil: -$13.08 billion (Up by 10.9%)
- Cereals: -$3.8 billion (Up by 8.9%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: -$3.4 billion (Down by -5.2%)
- Vehicles: -$3.21 billion (Down by -38.1%)
- Wood: -$3.21 billion (Down by -7.1%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: -$1.97 billion (Up by 15.3%)
- Toys, games: -$1.96 billion (Up by 254.8%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$1.81 billion (Up by 66.9%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$1.77 billion (Up by 22.1%)
Netherlands has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for electrical machinery and equipment and also mineral fuels including oil. The latter product category includes crude oil and, in lesser amounts, petroleum gases and coal.
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 78.7% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2022 ($1.227 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 78.7% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2022 compares to 63% for 2021. 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 average unemployment rate for the Netherlands was 3.5% for 2022, down from an average 4.226% for 2021 according to the International Monetary Fund.
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 March 31, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 31, 2023
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on March 31, 2023
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on March 31, 2023
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 31, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 31, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 31, 2023
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on March 31, 2023
Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on March 31, 2023
Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on March 31, 2023
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on March 31, 2023
