New tool provides official Puerto Rico import-export data
The free platform helps users analyze the island’s foreign trade statistics amid tariff discussions.
With public interest in international trade and tariffs on the rise, the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics on Wednesday reminded citizens that its External Trade Interface tool is available online, providing access to official data on the island’s imports and exports.
The tool, found in the Foreign Trade section of the agency’s website, contains monthly statistics on the value and volume of goods entering and leaving Puerto Rico. Users can see what products the island exports and to which countries, as well as the types of goods it imports and their countries of origin.
The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, an autonomous government entity tasked with coordinating the government’s statistical production services, reported that these data can help identify business opportunities abroad for companies in Puerto Rico.
“At a time when international trade and tariff issues are an active part of the public conversation, it is essential that citizens have access to official and reliable information that allows them to conduct appropriate analyses and make informed decisions,” said Orville Disdier, executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.
The statistics are compiled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Census Bureau using customs and export declaration forms submitted during trade transactions. The institute processes, organizes and transforms the data to make it accessible to local users and trading partners.
The Foreign Trade Interface allows users to filter searches and download data going back to July 2002. It includes various international trade classification systems: the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) and Schedule B, which detail tariff codes; the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) for product-based trade comparisons; and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for sector-based analysis.
A free webinar is also available on the site to guide users on how to access, interpret and use the data.
To access the tool, visit the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics website and go to the Foreign Trade section under the Applications tab. The institute recommends using the Firefox browser for the best experience.
The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics is an autonomous government entity tasked with coordinating the government’s statistical production services.
