LAO P.D.R.: Assessing the Quality of Trade Statistics

By Geoffrey J Bannister, Manuk Ghazanchyan, Theodore Pierre Bikoi

November 16, 2017

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Geoffrey J Bannister, Manuk Ghazanchyan, and Theodore Pierre Bikoi. LAO P.D.R.: Assessing the Quality of Trade Statistics, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2017) accessed November 8, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

This paper assesses external trade statistics in Lao PDR by looking at mirror statistics, and with reference to international experience in compilation and dissemination of external trade data. We find that exports could be underreported by 8 to 50 percent, while imports could be underreported by 30 to 70 percent, and the trade deficit could be 20 percent to 280 percent higher. Underreporting is concentrated in trade with major partners, including Thailand (17 percent of total trade), China (10 percent of total trade) and Vietnam (3 percent of total trade). On the export side, underreporting is concentrated in wood and wood products, while for imports it is concentrated in a much wider variety of products, including food, fuel, vehicles, machinery, chemical products, plastics and rubber, and construction materials. Possible sources and implications of these discrepancies are discussed.

Subject: Commodities, Exports, Imports, International trade, Metals, Trade balance, Trade deficits

Keywords: Bank of Lao PDR, Bilateral assymetries, Customs data, Exports, Exports ratio, External trade statictics, Global, Import, Imports, Imports and exports, Lao P.D.R reserve adequacy, Lao PDR Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Metals, MOIC data, Product, Trade balance, Trade deficits, Trade partner data, Wood product export restriction, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

26
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2017/251
Stock No:

WPIEA2017251
ISBN:

9781484325742
ISSN:

1018-5941

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