Tunisia's Trade Deficit Reaches -14,640 MD at the End of August 2025
The National Institute of Statistics (INS) announced on Friday that Tunisia's trade deficit at current prices stood at -14,640 MD at the end of August 2025, compared to -11,924.7 MD during the same period in 2024. The coverage rate reached 73.9% compared to 77.7% during the same period in 2024. According to a note published by the INS, this deficit is mainly due to energy (-7,148 MD), raw materials and semi-finished products (-4,532.2 MD), equipment goods (-2,339.7 MD), and consumer goods (-1,303.3 MD). On the other hand, the food group recorded a surplus of +683.2 MD. It is also worth noting that the trade deficit excluding energy decreased to -7,492 MD, while the energy balance deficit stood at -7,148 MD, compared to -7,505.3 MD during the first eight months of 2024.
0.3% Decrease in Exports
The results of Tunisia's foreign trade at current prices during the first eight months of 2025 show that exports decreased by 0.3% to reach 41,372.4 MD, compared to 41,512.1 MD during the same period in 2024. By sector, exports recorded an increase in the mining, phosphate, and derivatives sector (+11.9%) and the mechanical and electrical industries sector (+6.7%). On the other hand, exports recorded a decrease in the energy sector (-39%) due to the decline in sales of refined products (504.2 MD compared to 1,323.2 MD), as well as the agri-food industries sector (-16.2%) following the decline in the value of olive oil sales (2,702.4 MD compared to 3,818.9 MD) and the textile, clothing, and leather sector (-1%). For Tunisian exports to the European Union, which accounted for 70.5% of total exports during the first eight months of 2025, they reached a value of 29,165.9 MD, compared to 28,914.8 MD during the same period in 2024. Exports increased with Germany (+11.9%), France (+8.9%), and Greece (+59.7%). However, they decreased with Italy (-9.2%) and Spain (-25.3%). To Arab countries, exports increased with Libya (+7.6%), Morocco (+44.3%), Algeria (+18%), and Egypt (+41.1%).
4.8% Increase in Imports
As for imports, they reached 56,012.3 MD, compared to 53,436.8 MD during the same period in 2024, recording a 4.8% increase. By product group, imports recorded an increase in equipment goods (+17.4%) and raw materials and semi-finished products (+7.5%). Similarly, consumer goods imports increased by 10.6%. On the other hand, energy product imports recorded a decline of -13.8%, and food products decreased by -3.9%. Regarding imports from the European Union, which accounted for 43.6% of total imports, they reached 24,410.7 MD, compared to 23,365.1 MD during the first eight months of 2024. Imports increased with France (+13%) and Germany (+9.4%). However, they decreased with Italy (-2.2%), Greece (-29.4%), and Belgium (-7.5%). Outside the European Union, imports increased with China (+31.5%) and Turkey (+13.6%). In contrast, they recorded a decrease with Russia (-24.9%) and India (-2.8%).
