Singapore is also known for as a trade source for refined petroleum oils, gold as well as sophisticated computer and telecommunication systems components.
The following list shows which Singaporean exports attracted the most money in global sales during 2017. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify precisely which products in which Singapore have strong competitive advantages over other nations and also where opportunities for innovation are needed.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the Searchable List of Singapore’s Most Valuable Exports Products section in the Singapore’s Top 10 Exports article. For a link to that article, see the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Singaporean Export Products
Below are the 20 highest value export products shipped from Singapore in 2017. Shown within brackets is the percentage change in value year over year.
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$80 billion (up 11.4% since 2016)
- Processed petroleum oils: $45.8 billion (up 26.7%)
- Gold (unwrought): $11.5 billion (up 465.3%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $9.6 billion (down -1.5%)
- Computers, optical readers: $9.1 billion (up 0.9%)
- Machinery for making semi-conductors: $9.1 billion (up 59.3%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $8.2 billion (down -8.9%)
- Turbo-jets: $6.5 billion (up 9.2%)
- Aircraft parts: $6.4 billion (up 0.3%)
- Ethylene polymers: $5.8 billion (up 13.7%)
- Printing machinery: $5.4 billion (up 9.1%)
- Unrecorded sound media: $5.4 billion (up 10.7%)
- Computer parts, accessories: $4.6 billion (up 4.6%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $3.9 billion (up 2%)
- Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations: $3.8 billion (up 35.8%)
- Electrical machinery: $3.8 billion (up 8.5%)
- Amino-compounds (oxygen): $3.4 billion (down -5.8%)
- Physical/chemical analysis tools: $3.3 billion (up 13%)
- Cyclic hydrocarbons: $3.2 billion (up 51.9%)
- Propylene/olefin polymers: $3.1 billion (up 7.8%)
Among these product categories, gold posted the highest export sales increase from 2016 to 2017, up 465.3%.
In second-place was machinery for making semi-conductors via its 59.3% gain.
Also moving ahead in value were exported cyclic hydrocarbons, up 51.9% year over year. Beauty, makeup, and skin care preparations recorded an impressive 35.8% appreciation.
Not doing so well were solar power diodes and semi-conductors shipped from the Southeast Asian island hub, falling in value by -8.9%. Oxygen amino-compounds depreciated by -5.8% while phone system devices including smartphones incurred a -1.5% setback.
Overall, Singapore’s exports grew in value by an average 13.1% from 2016 to 2017.
See also Singapore’s Top 10 Major Export Companies, Singapore’s Top Trading Partners, Singapore’s Top 10 Imports and Singapore’s Top 10 Exports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 5, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on February 5, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on February 5, 2018