Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reported that the trade deficit widened to $4.8bn in January 2026, a 15% increase from $4.2bn in January 2025. The rise was driven by a 20.3% drop in exports to $3.6bn, while imports fell 3.2% to $8.4bn.
CAPMAS issued a statement on Monday confirming Egypt’s trade deficit reached $4.8bn in January 2026.
Exports declined 20.3% to $3.6bn from $4.5bn a year earlier, due to drops in fertilisers by 47.1%, primary plastics by 21.3%, dried legumes by 47.8%, and food pastes by 0.4%. However, fresh fruit exports rose 35.1%, petroleum products 17.5%, ready-made garments 7.3%, and iron products including bars, rods, angles and wires 5.6%.
Imports fell 3.2% to $8.4bn from $8.7bn, driven by lower petroleum products by 26.5%, raw iron and steel materials by 10.2%, wheat by 11%, and primary plastics by 16.4%. Imports of natural gas increased 3.6%, maize 39.4%, passenger cars 40.9%, and soybeans 6.1%.