As it is usual every year, August brought with it a slowdown in slate exports abroad. The figures speak of a 34.35% decrease in product output this month, when 30,865 tons were exported, compared to July of this year 2020, when the tons exported were 47,016. This is a logical number if we take into account the holiday period of these dates, both in producers and distributors outside our borders. Regarding billing, the percentage has reached -33.34%. Of the 26,705,493 euros registered in July this year, the figure fell to 17,750,047 euros in August.
This decrease in the output of the product by country, places France in a fall of just over 50% in its exports of slate, (10,091 tons registered in August 2020) compared to the data for July (20,188 tons). The United Kingdom exported 17,70% less product in August (10,625 tons compared to 12,910 tons in July). Germany also experienced a drop in exports in August by 27.15% (5,076 tons compared to 6,968 tons in July) and Belgium by -10.17% (1,378 tons in August compared to 1,534 tons in July).
In accumulated numbers, we also speak negatively, since the decrease in exports in the first eight months of the year stands at -8.8%. In August 2019, 319,642 tons of slate were exported; In 2020, that figure dropped to 291,500 tonnes. These data translate into a 5.8% decrease in billing; In the accumulated of August 2019, 175,232,980 euros were invoiced and in 2020 the figure was reduced to 164,985,248 euros.
By country, accumulated exports to France fell 10% in August compared to 2019 (123,260 tonnes registered in August 2020 compared to 136,459 tonnes registered in August 2019), billing 69,048,256 euros, 5,144,449 euros less than in the previous year. The United Kingdom has experienced a similar situation, which imported 21% less slate (76,527 tons in 2020 compared to the 96,333 tons registered in 2019), which meant 8,012,737 euros less turnover. Germany again registers positive figures (44,536 tons in 2020), with 5% more exports compared to the accumulated in August 2019 (42,543 tons).