Foreign Trade Figures for May: A Mixed Bag
The first five months of 2025 have resulted in a deficit of 8367.2 MTD (Million Tunisian Dinars), compared to -6409.8 MTD at the same time in 2024. The non-energy trade balance deficit has decreased to 4034.7 MTD, while the energy trade balance deficit stands at 4332.5 MTD (-4974.7 MTD at the end of May 2024).
Exports for the period totaled 26,831.5 MTD, a slight increase of 0.3% year-over-year. The mechanical and electrical industries performed well, improving their sales by 4% to 12,875.1 MTD. Similarly, the textile, clothing, and leather sector saw a 2.3% increase to 4,823.3 MTD. On the other hand, refined products saw a significant decline, dropping from 788.3 MTD in 2024 to 150.1 MTD this year. The agri-food industry was impacted by the decline in olive oil sales, limited to 2,117.3 MTD in 2014 (2,977.1 MTD in 2024).
As for imports, they increased by 6.1% to 35,198.7 MTD. Capital goods gained 22.2% to 6,473.5 MTD, and raw materials and semi-finished products increased by 8.4% to 12,228.9 MTD. These factors are positive as they are consumed by the productive sector. At the same time, the acceleration of imports of consumer goods by 14.7% shows that local supply is far from meeting Tunisian demand, on the one hand, and raises serious questions about the local product on the other hand. Energy products and food products respectively decreased by 16.9% and 1.9%, benefiting from a favorable price effect.
The European Union is, by far, our largest customer, absorbing 70.3% of our exports. Exports are on the rise with Germany (+16.9%), France (+3.4%), and the Netherlands (+13.5%). On the other hand, they have decreased with Italy (-6.5%) and Spain (-30.8%). The trade balance is positive with our partners on the northern shore of the Mediterranean, with a surplus of 3,399.8 MTD. This is essential for the functioning of the country's economy.
