It has been an incredibly tough two and a half years. The current economic landscape, dictated by the cost of doing business crisis, mainly caused by the rising cost of energy, is very concerning. However, the outstanding fortitude of Wales’ exporters during this time means the Welsh economy has strengthened its position on the world stage, providing much-needed economic resilience. For this, our exporters should be extremely proud.
Vaughan Gething, Minister for Economy, said: “I know it is not easy to trade on the global stage. It takes a huge amount of endeavour, grit, and determination to compete in international markets.
"While Wales has long been a country well regarded for our exporting prowess, international trade is constantly evolving, particularly so in the modern era. Consequently, our exporters, both new and established, must consistently push the envelope in terms of ambition and innovation."
Fortunately, our latest export figures demonstrate this stamina in abundance. For the year ending June 2022, the value of goods exports from Wales was £18.4 billion, up £4.9 billion (36.7%) compared to the previous year. This includes an increase in exports to EU countries of £2.5billion (31.1%) and an increase in exports to non-EU countries of £2.4billion (45.2%) compared with the previous year.
These figures demonstrate steep gains coming out of 2020, and are especially impressive when you consider that throughout 2021 we were all still very much in the grip of the Covid pandemic.
In fact, when comparing to the year ending June 2019 (pre Covid pandemic), goods exports for Wales were up £0.7 billion (3.7%), indicating that goods exports have recovered beyond pre-pandemic levels. This is an astonishing testament to the resilience of Wales' exporters who lost almost 25% of international trade during the first year of the Covid pandemic.
However, since then, Wales’ export performance has been on a consistent upwards trajectory, frequently outpacing the recovery of other º£½ÇÊÓƵ nations and regions, with many often posting decreases in their quarterly figure - something Wales never did. However, what no statistic will ever do is provide the real human stories behind the exporting successes that are helping to drive the Welsh economy forward.
No percentage increase will ever be able to tell you about Newtown yacht manufacturer, Makefast, which is set to open its first US headquarters in Maryland later this year. They have bucked the trend during the Covid pandemic, with exports continuing to climb over the last two years, increasing by 40% in the American market alone.
Nor can a statistic tell us about the inspiring story of the Newport-based company which invented the world’s first interactive prayer mat. My Salah Mat is designed to help children and adults learn how to perform Salah, the daily prayer practiced by Muslims. The company’s products are now sold in over 25 countries across four continents. It has seen sales rise by 15% in the Middle East over the last three years.
Both of these businesses have received specialist export support from the Welsh Government and Business Wales advisors on their export journey, engaging with the services they provide via their , as well as hands-on support in the form of participation in Welsh Government Trade Missions and more.
It’s because of stories like these that the Welsh Government’s commitment to supporting their exporters is consistently reaffirmed, reinforcing their belief in the importance of exports for a resilient economy.
For more information about the range of Welsh Government export support and services available via Business Wales visit
