Tunisia’s trade deficit widened to 17.853,8 million dinars in the first eight months of 2026, compared with 14.639 million dinars in the same period of 2025, as import growth outpaced export growth, according to current-price foreign trade data released by the National Institute of Statistics on Saturday.
Exports stood at 44.671,6 million dinars, compared with 41.372,4 million dinars in the same period of 2025, an increase of 8%. Imports rose 11,6% to 62.525,4 million dinars, compared with 56.011,3 million dinars a year earlier.
The import coverage ratio fell to 71,4%, compared with 73,9% in the first eight months of last year.
Food and energy exports drive growth
Exports of mechanical and electrical industries rose 8,5%, while exports from the agricultural and food industries increased 20,8%, driven particularly by the rise in olive oil sales to 3.769,7 million dinars, compared with 2.702,4 million dinars.
Energy-sector exports grew 44,3%, with exports of refined products rising to 1.115,2 million dinars, compared with 504,2 million dinars in the same period of 2025. By contrast, exports of phosphate and its derivatives fell 12%, while textile, clothing and leather exports declined 4,8%.
The increase in imports covered all product groups, with energy imports rising 28,5%, food imports 17,1%, capital goods 6,2%, consumer goods 8,2%, and raw and semi-finished materials 7,9%.
European Union accounts for 70,2% of exports
European Union countries accounted for 70,2% of Tunisia’s total exports in the first eight months of 2026, valued at 31.346,4 million dinars, compared with 29.165,9 million dinars in the same period of 2025. Exports to France rose 3,4%, to Italy 5,2% and to Germany 2,1%, while exports to Greece and Malta fell 19,9% and 10,8%, respectively.
Among Arab countries, Tunisian exports to Egypt rose 76,6% and those to Saudi Arabia increased 50,4%, while exports to Morocco fell 25,1%, to Algeria 13,1% and to Libya 1,1%.
The European Union accounted for 45,1% of Tunisia’s total imports, valued at 28.175 million dinars, compared with 24.410,1 million dinars in the first eight months of 2025. Imports from France rose 17% and those from Italy 16,7%, while imports from Bulgaria and Portugal declined. Outside the European Union, imports from Turkey, India and China increased, while those from Russia and the United Kingdom fell.
Energy deficit reaches 8.930,2 million dinars
The overall trade deficit was driven mainly by the energy-sector deficit of 8.930,2 million dinars, along with deficits of 4.544,1 million dinars in raw and semi-finished materials, 3.125,5 million dinars in capital goods, and 2.237,2 million dinars in consumer goods. By contrast, the food-products group recorded a surplus of 983,1 million dinars.
The trade deficit excluding the energy sector stood at 8.923,7 million dinars, while the energy deficit rose to 8.930,2 million dinars, compared with 7.148 million dinars in the first eight months of 2025.
