MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman recorded a trade surplus of RO 3.93 billion by the end of August 2025, down 36.1 per cent from RO 6.145 billion during the same period in 2024, according to preliminary data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
The decline was mainly driven by a sharp drop in oil and gas exports, which fell 16.8 per cent to RO 9.775 billion, compared to RO 11.753 billion in the previous year. Overall merchandise exports stood at RO 15.318 billion, down 9.5 per cent from RO 16.926 billion recorded a year earlier.
Despite the fall in hydrocarbon earnings, non-oil exports continued to perform strongly, rising by 9.4 per cent to RO 4.421 billion, compared with RO 4.042 billion in August 2024. The increase underscores ongoing efforts to diversify Oman’s export base and strengthen industrial and manufacturing output.
Re-exports, however, dipped slightly by 0.8 per cent to RO 1.122 billion, compared with RO 1.131 billion a year earlier. Meanwhile, merchandise imports into the Sultanate of Oman grew 5.6 per cent to RO 11.389 billion, up from RO 10.780 billion in the same period of 2024, reflecting rising domestic demand and capital goods inflows.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintained its position as Oman’s top trade partner. Exports to the UAE surged 28.8 per cent to RO 821 million, while re-exports reached RO 433 million. The UAE was also the leading source of imports, supplying goods worth RO 2.733 billion to Oman.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked second in Omani non-oil exports at RO 784 million, followed by India with RO 436 million. In terms of re-exports, Iran came second with RO 202 million, followed by Saudi Arabia at RO 98 million.
China was the second-largest exporter to Oman, with imports valued at RO 1.166 billion, while Kuwait followed closely with RO 1.042 billion. — ONA
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