A relatively small but powerful player in international trade, the Netherlands shipped US$725.5 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2024.

That dollar amount reflects a 31.6% upturn compared to $551.4 billion five years earlier during 2020.

Year over year, the total value of goods exported from the powerhouse European Union member fell by -2.2% from $741.8 billion in 2023.

The biggest 5 exports from the Netherlands by dollar value are refined petroleum oils, machinery for making semi-conductors, phone devices including smartphones, medication mixes in dosage, then electro-medical equipment. Combined, that quintet of major exports represents one-fifth (20.1%) of money collected by the Netherlands for its shipments during 2024.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Netherlands’ official currency is the euro which flatlined via a 0.02% gain against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. The slightly stronger European Union currency made the Netherlands’ exports paid for in weaker US dollars modestly more expensive for international buyers starting from American currency.

Major Customers for Exports from the Netherlands

The latest available country-specific data shows that 72% of products exported from Netherlands was bought by importers in: Germany (22.2% of the Dutch total), Belgium (11.8%), France (7.8%), United Kingdom (6.2%), United States of America (5.7%), Italy (4.1%), Spain (3.4%), mainland China (3.1%), Poland (3%), Sweden (2%), South Korea (1.4%) and Denmark (1.3%).

From a continental perspective, 76.2% of Netherlands’ exports by value was delivered to fellow European countries while 12.3% was sold to importers in Asia. The Netherlands shipped another 6.8% worth of goods to customers in North America.

Smaller percentages went to buyers in Africa (2.1%), Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean (1.8%) then Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand (0.7%).

Also, note that the value of exports from the Netherlands sold to fellow European Union members equaled 66.2% of overall Netherlands’ export sales, down from 69.2% one year prior.

Given the Dutch population of 17.9 million people, the Netherlands’ total $725.5 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $40,500 for every resident in the northwest European country with a northern coastline along the North Sea. That dollar amount lags the average $52,900 per capita one year earlier in 2023.

Netherlands Top 10 Exports

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Dutch global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from the Netherlands.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$105.7 billion (14.6% of total exports)
2. Machinery including computers: $99 billion (13.6%)
3. Electrical machinery, equipment: $63.6 billion (8.8%)
4. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $48.1 billion (6.6%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $39.3 billion (5.4%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $26.4 billion (3.6%)
7. Vehicles: $24.9 billion (3.4%)
8. Organic chemicals: $20.9 billion (2.9%)
9. Other chemical goods: $16.7 billion (2.3%)
10. Dairy, eggs, honey: $13.5 billion (1.9%)

The Netherlands’ top 10 export product categories approached two-thirds (63.2%) of the overall value of the European country’s global shipments.

Pharmaceuticals represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 14.9% from 2023 to 2024.

In second place for improving export sales was dairy, eggs and honey via a 4.8% advance.

The Netherlands’ shipments of optical, technical and medical apparatus posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 3.9%.

The leading decliner among Netherlands’s top 10 export categories comprise vehicles, pulled down by a -19.2% 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 2024. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2023.

By value, these 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$455.2 billion or over three-fifths (62.7%) for all products exported from the Netherlands during 2024.

Products Generating Greatest Trade Surpluses for the Netherlands

The Netherlands earned an US$88.6 billion trade surplus in 2024, a positive trade balance that expanded by 14.1% from the $77.7 billion surplus one year earlier in 2023.

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.

1. Machinery including computers: US$23.1 billion (Down by -11.8% since 2023)
2. Live trees, plants, cut flowers: $10.4 billion (Up by 4.2%)
3. Pharmaceuticals: $9.5 billion (Up by 78.7%)
4. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $8.9 billion (Down by -5.2%)
5. Plastics, plastic articles: $8.6 billion (Down by -3.6%)
6. Dairy, eggs, honey: $7.3 billion (Up by 7.8%)
7. Meat: $6.1 billion (Down by -0.8%)
8. Vegetables: $5.9 billion (Down by -0.1%)
9. Organic chemicals: $4.9 billion (Up by 13.3%)
10. Vegetable/fruit/nut preparations: $3.9 billion (Down by -0.1%)

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.

1. Vehicles: -US$9.5 billion (Up by 100.4% since 2023)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$7 billion (Down by -10.2%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: -$6.6 billion (Down by -50.4%)
4. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$2.9 billion (Up by 4.6%)
5. Cereals: -$2.8 billion (Down by -15.9%)
6. Wood: -$2.4 billion (Down by -15.8%)
7. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: -$1.5 billion (Up by 28.4%)
8. Ores, slag, ash: -$1.24 billion (Down by -8.5%)
9. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$1.23 billion (Up by 23.4%)
10. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$1.19 billion (Down by -8.9%)

Netherlands has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for vehicles. Notable surpluses under that product category include tractors, motorcycles and special purpose motor vehicles.

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 49.7% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($1.461 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 49.7% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2024 compares to 72.2% for 2023. 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 3.9% for 2024, up from the average 3.553% for 2023 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 2, 2025

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on April 2, 2025

IMPORTERS.com The Online Market for G20 Importers, Netherlands Import Export Directory. Accessed on April 2, 2025

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 2, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 2, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 2, 2025

Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on April 2, 2025

Wikipedia, List of Companies of the Netherlands. Accessed on April 2, 2025

Wikipedia, Netherlands. Accessed on April 2, 2025

Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on April 2, 2025

X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on April 2, 2025