Egypt’s exports fall in October 2025, trade deficit hits $4.58b – CAPMAS

Egypt’s exports fell to $4.17 billion in October 2025, down 1.1 per cent from $4.22 billion in the same month a year earlier, the country’s official statistics agency CAPMAS said Tuesday. The trade balance deficit widened to $4.58 billion, up 1.3 per cent from $4.52 billion in the same month of 2024.

The decline in exports was driven by lower shipments of petroleum products, which dropped by 29.6 per cent, plastics in primary forms by 22.2 per cent, fresh fruit by 13.4 per cent, and crude oil by 53.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, exports of some commodities recorded growth, including ready-made garments, up 9.2 per cent, various food pastes and preparations, up 34.8 per cent, fertilisers, up 6.6 per cent, and medicines and pharmaceutical preparations, which rose by 11.7 per cent.

Imports edged up by 0.18 per cent to $8.75 billion in October 2025, compared with $8.74 billion a year earlier. The increase was attributed to higher imports of natural gas, which surged by 72.9 per cent, maize by 27.6 per cent, passenger cars by 58.0 per cent, and soybeans by 14.0 per cent.

At the same time, imports of several items declined, including petroleum products by 15.0 per cent, wheat by 8.4 per cent, iron or steel raw materials by 16.4 per cent, and plastics in primary forms by 22.7 per cent.