That dollar amount reflects a 62.3% upturn compared to $576.8 billion five years earlier during 2019.
Year over year, the total value of goods exported from the powerhouse European Union member accelerated by 21.9% from $768.3 billion in 2022.
The biggest 5 exports from the Netherlands by dollar value are refined petroleum oils, phone devices including smartphones, computers, crude oil, then medication mixes in dosage. Combined, that quintet of major exports represents over one-fifth (21.2%) of money collected by the Netherlands for its shipments during 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, the Netherlands’ official currency the euro depreciated by -3.5% against the US dollar since 2019 but strengthened by 2.6% from 2022 to 2023. The weaker European Union currency versus 2019 made the Netherlands’ 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 70.3% of products exported from Netherlands was bought by importers in: Germany (22.5% of the Dutch total), Belgium (11%), France (8.3%), United Kingdom (5.6%), United States of America (4.7%), Italy (4%), Spain (3.4%), Poland (2.9%), mainland China (2.6%), Sweden (2.4%), Czech Republic (1.5%) and Switzerland (1.4%).
From a continental perspective, 78.5% of the Netherlands’ exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 11.3% was sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 5.8% worth of goods to North America.
Smaller percentages went to buyers in Africa (2.1%), Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.7%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
The value of exports from the Netherlands to fellow European Union members equaled 69.2% of overall Netherlands’ export sales.
Given the Dutch population of 17.7 million people, the Netherlands’ total $936.2 billion in 2023 exports translates to roughly $52,900 for every resident in the northwest European country with a northern coastline along the North Sea. That dollar amount lags the average $55,000 per capita one year earlier in 2022.
Netherlands Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Dutch global shipments during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from the Netherlands.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$147.4 billion (15.7% of total exports)
- Machinery including computers: $131.7 billion (14.1%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $121 billion (12.9%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $57.4 billion (6.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $52 billion (5.6%)
- Vehicles: $37.8 billion (4%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $28.9 billion (3.1%)
- Organic chemicals: $22.3 billion (2.4%)
- Other chemical goods: $19.6 billion (2.1%)
- Iron, steel: $17 billion (1.8%)
The Netherlands’ top 10 exports exceeded two-thirds (67.8%) of the overall value of the European country’s global shipments.
Pharmaceuticals was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 101% from 2022 to 2023.
In second place for improving export sales was electrical machinery and equipment via a 89.6% advance.
Netherlands’ shipments of machinery including computers posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 51.1%.
The leading decliner among Netherlands’ top 10 export categories was miscellaneous chemical goods, pulled down by a -13.5% year-over-year drop.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the section below.
Searchable List of Most Valuable Dutch Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from the Netherlands during 2023. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2022.
| Rank | Export Product | Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Processed petroleum oils | $64,864,339,000 | -20.2% |
| 2 | Phone devices including smartphones | $41,015,730,000 | +97.1% |
| 3 | Computers, optical readers | $38,525,351,000 | +187.3% |
| 4 | Crude oil | $27,731,080,000 | +207.4% |
| 5 | Medication mixes in dosage | $26,751,265,000 | +71.1% |
| 6 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $26,592,938,000 | +253.4% |
| 7 | Machinery for making semi-conductors | $24,679,050,000 | +15.5% |
| 8 | Electro-medical equip (e.g. xrays) | $19,494,586,000 | +33% |
| 9 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $17,405,187,000 | +232.6% |
| 10 | Orthopedic appliances | $13,437,091,000 | +14.9% |
| 11 | Cars | $11,288,706,000 | +99.2% |
| 12 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $9,474,291,000 | +248.3% |
| 13 | Printing machinery | $8,677,052,000 | +27.9% |
| 14 | Tractors | $8,628,543,000 | +25.1% |
| 15 | Biodiesel | $8,471,608,000 | -18.3% |
| 16 | Electrical converters/power units | $8,111,327,000 | +78.6% |
| 17 | Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation) | $7,493,118,000 | -16.1% |
| 18 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $7,088,383,000 | +108.8% |
| 19 | Automobile parts/accessories | $6,544,524,000 | +51.5% |
| 20 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $6,330,254,000 | +220% |
| 21 | Computer parts, accessories | $6,324,975,000 | +164.2% |
| 22 | Cheese, curd | $5,741,166,000 | +6.1% |
| 23 | Miscellaneous live plants | $5,479,834,000 | +3.3% |
| 24 | Fresh or dried flowers (for bouquets, ornamental) | $5,362,933,000 | +12.6% |
| 25 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $5,305,644,000 | +36.8% |
| 26 | Table games, bowling equipment | $4,952,750,000 | +506.3% |
| 27 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $4,742,089,000 | +0.9% |
| 28 | Other food preparations | $4,691,489,000 | +18.3% |
| 29 | Turbo-jets | $4,680,683,000 | +34.5% |
| 30 | Trucks | $4,343,822,000 | +23.3% |
| 31 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $4,269,372,000 | -24.9% |
| 32 | Yachts, other pleasure/sports vessels | $4,261,213,000 | +2332% |
| 33 | Electric storage batteries | $4,157,954,000 | +159.8% |
| 34 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $4,000,618,000 | -12.4% |
| 35 | Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators) | $3,779,349,000 | +40.1% |
| 36 | Iron or steel scrap | $3,489,458,000 | -11.5% |
| 37 | Fresh or chilled beef | $3,432,265,000 | +13.4% |
| 38 | X-ray equipment | $3,336,095,000 | +26.9% |
| 39 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $3,277,034,000 | -14.2% |
| 40 | Poultry meat | $3,276,275,000 | +0.7% |
| 41 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $3,213,218,000 | +53.8% |
| 42 | Iron ferroalloys | $3,172,896,000 | +160% |
| 43 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $3,134,965,000 | +24.8% |
| 44 | Swine meat | $3,125,784,000 | +14.9% |
| 45 | Ethylene polymers | $3,114,366,000 | -27.5% |
| 46 | Electrical energy | $3,091,464,000 | 0% |
| 47 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $3,036,727,000 | +11.8% |
| 48 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (frozen) | $3,016,358,000 | +28% |
| 49 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $3,009,056,000 | -21.1% |
| 50 | Non-alcoholic drinks (not water/juice/milk) | $2,971,717,000 | +30.1% |
| 51 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $2,956,259,000 | +44.3% |
| 52 | Nickel (unwrought) | $2,925,290,000 | +212% |
| 53 | Insulated wire/cable | $2,875,065,000 | +26.7% |
| 54 | Microphones/headphones/amps | $2,844,039,000 | +55.6% |
| 55 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $2,824,843,000 | +22.2% |
| 56 | Rubber tires (new) | $2,736,770,000 | +13.1% |
| 57 | Miscellaneous machinery | $2,699,469,000 | +30.6% |
| 58 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $2,673,795,000 | +19% |
| 59 | Footwear (leather) | $2,654,910,000 | +13.6% |
| 60 | Lifting/loading machinery | $2,574,900,000 | +24.4% |
| 61 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $2,568,209,000 | +19.6% |
| 62 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $2,561,022,000 | +23.5% |
| 63 | Sowing seeds, fruits, spores | $2,550,743,000 | +10.3% |
| 64 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $2,510,011,000 | +3.5% |
| 65 | Machinery parts | $2,481,529,000 | +16% |
| 66 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $2,404,767,000 | -16.7% |
| 67 | Iron ores, concentrates | $2,398,368,000 | +7027% |
| 68 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $2,333,036,000 | +11.7% |
| 69 | Piston engine parts | $2,329,765,000 | +17.9% |
| 70 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $2,313,656,000 | +13.2% |
| 71 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $2,306,498,000 | +28.1% |
| 72 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $2,283,601,000 | +27.5% |
| 73 | Ethyl alcohol | $2,263,165,000 | +13.9% |
| 74 | Miscellaneous furniture | $2,261,693,000 | +23.6% |
| 75 | Industrial preparation machinery | $2,235,866,000 | +11.5% |
| 76 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $2,230,663,000 | +23.4% |
| 77 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $2,228,853,000 | -22.7% |
| 78 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $2,154,897,000 | +56.4% |
| 79 | Malt beer | $2,151,734,000 | +7.6% |
| 80 | Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods | $2,148,512,000 | +31.5% |
| 81 | Unrecorded sound media | $2,132,483,000 | +64.2% |
| 82 | Other organic cleaning preparations | $2,120,282,000 | +10.7% |
| 83 | Butter | $2,111,171,000 | +0.7% |
| 84 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $2,106,167,000 | +18.9% |
| 85 | Dates/figs/pineapples/mangoes/avocadoes/guavas | $2,100,963,000 | +44.8% |
| 86 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $2,087,945,000 | -12.8% |
| 87 | Fish fillets, pieces | $2,084,696,000 | +35.4% |
| 88 | Acyclic alcohols | $2,044,943,000 | -21.4% |
| 89 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $2,016,795,000 | +26.7% |
| 90 | Fruit and vegetable juices | $2,013,341,000 | +32.8% |
| 91 | Radioactive chemical elements | $2,013,322,000 | +24.8% |
| 92 | Tomatoes (fresh or chilled) | $1,949,763,000 | +7.9% |
| 93 | Motorcycles | $1,927,809,000 | -5.2% |
| 94 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $1,899,411,000 | +45.8% |
| 95 | Electric water heaters, hair dryers | $1,878,725,000 | +14% |
| 96 | Print/write/draw inks | $1,870,918,000 | +19.1% |
| 97 | Miscellaneous fruits (fresh) | $1,858,513,000 | +25.6% |
| 98 | Propylene/olefin polymers | $1,847,643,000 | -18.3% |
| 99 | Aircraft or spacecraft parts | $1,834,167,000 | +17% |
| 100 | Trailers | $1,801,790,000 | +4.8% |
By value, these 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$609 billion or nearly two-thirds (65%) for all products exported from the Netherlands during 2023.
Products Generating Greatest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands
The Netherlands earned a US$92.5 billion trade surplus in 2023, a positive trade balance that expanded by 61% from the $57.5 billion surplus one year earlier in 2022.
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$29 billion (Up by 77.2% since 2022)
- Pharmaceuticals: $11.3 billion (Up by 157.2%)
- Live trees, plants, cut flowers: $10 billion (Up by 4.4%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $9.7 billion (Up by 25.7%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $8.7 billion (Down by -22.5%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $6.8 billion (Up by 5.6%)
- Meat: $6.4 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Vegetables: $5.9 billion (Up by 15.2%)
- Organic chemicals: $4.6 billion (Down by -8.3%)
- Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $3.9 billion (Up by 26.2%)
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.
- Mineral fuels including oil: -US$13.8 billion (Up by 51.1% since 2022)
- Vehicles: -$4.9 billion (Up by 43.6%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$4.1 billion (Down by -65%)
- Cereals: -$3.4 billion (Down by -7.6%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: -$2.7 billion (Down by -25.2%)
- Wood: -$2.5 billion (Down by -19.9%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: -$1.7 billion (Down by -1.9%)
- Oil seeds: -$1.35 billion (Up by 40.6%)
- Ores, slag, ash: -$1.34 billion (Down by -26.6%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$1.33 billion (Down by -36.7%)
Netherlands has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for mineral fuels including oil and also vehicles. The former 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 72.2% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2023 ($1.297 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 72.2% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2023 compares to 78.7% for 2022. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing 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 3.7% for 2023, up from the average 3.537% for 2022 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 5, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 5, 2024
IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on April 5, 2024
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on April 5, 2024
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 5, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 5, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 5, 2024
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on April 5, 2024
Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on April 5, 2024
Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on April 5, 2024
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on April 5, 2024