AFRLAT tracks the Latvia-SADC trade corridor using publicly available data. Here is every source we use, how we access it, and what it tells us.
Primary: Eurostat COMEXT
Our main data pipeline pulls from the Eurostat COMEXT SDMX API (dataset DS-045409). This gives us bilateral trade flows between Latvia and every SADC country, broken down by HS product codes, monthly.
- What: Export and import values in EUR, by HS2/HS4 product code, monthly
- Coverage: Latvia (reporter) to 16 SADC countries (partners), 2010-present
- Update frequency: Monthly, with ~2 month lag
- Records in our database: 12,000+
- Automated: Weekly cron job (Sundays 3AM) fetches the latest data
Secondary: Latvia CSB
The Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia provides official national trade statistics with product breakdowns that sometimes have more detail than Eurostat for Latvian-specific flows.
Bilateral Analysis: UN COMTRADE
The UN COMTRADE database provides bilateral trade data at HS6 level (more granular than our Eurostat HS2/HS4). Free API access with 100 calls/day.
Country Macro Data: World Bank
World Bank Open Data provides GDP, population, trade openness, and other indicators for all SADC countries. We use these to contextualize trade flows against country-level economics.
Product-Level Visualization: OEC
The Observatory of Economic Complexity offers excellent bilateral trade visualizations. For deeper product-level analysis, we reference OEC's Latvia bilateral trade pages:
Trade Policy: ITC Trade Map
The ITC Trade Map provides detailed bilateral trade analysis with market access information. Free access with registration. Useful for tariff analysis under the EU-SADC EPA.
Company Data: Nasdaq Baltic
Financial data for publicly listed Latvian companies comes from Nasdaq Baltic:
- SAF Tehnika (SAF1R) — quarterly reports
- Grindeks (GRD1R) — quarterly reports
- LATRAPS — bond prospectus
News Monitoring
We monitor these sources for Latvia-SADC trade signals:
- LSM.lv — Latvian public media in English
- Baltic Times — Regional business news
- MFA Latvia — Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- X/Twitter accounts: @farmingportal, @LithuaniaInSA, MFA-related handles
Academic & Policy
- FPRI: "Latvia and Africa: An Untrodden Road" (July 2024) — the best single English-language analysis of the corridor
- European Commission trade policy pages for EU-SADC EPA details
- SADC official statistics at sadc.int
What We Don't Have (Yet)
- Ship tracking data (Riga → African ports)
- Real-time customs data from SA or other SADC countries
- Latvian company registry financials (Lursoft, paid)
- Granular product-level data below HS4 for all years
If you have access to additional data relevant to this corridor, contact requests@afrlat.com.