Oman's trade surplus falls to RO256mn as imports rise

05/04/2026 02:05 AST

Oman's trade surplus narrowed by more than 51% in January this year, amid a sharp rise in the value of merchandise imports and a decline in exports.

The sultanate's trade balance recorded a surplus of RO256mn in January 2026, compared to RO528mn during the same period in 2025, representing a decline of 51.5%, according to preliminary data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The data showed that the total value of merchandise exports reached RO1.831bn in January, marking a decrease of 6.1% compared to RO1.949bn in the same period of the previous year. In contrast, total merchandise imports rose by 10.9% to RO1.575bn, compared to RO1.421bn in January 2025.

The decline in merchandise exports was primarily driven by a fall in oil and gas exports, which stood at RO1.109bn by the end of January 2026, down 15.9% from RO1.318bn in the corresponding period of 2025.

Meanwhile, non-oil merchandise exports increased by 15.3% to RO613mn by the end of January, compared to RO531mn a year earlier.

Re-exports also recorded growth, rising by 9.7% to RO109mn in January 2026, up from RO100mn in the same period last year.

The United Arab Emirates topped the list of destinations for Oman's non-oil exports, with shipments valued at RO141mn, an increase of 54.8% compared to January 2025. The UAE also led re-export destinations, accounting for RO43mn.

Saudi Arabia ranked second for non-oil exports at RO92mn, followed by South Korea at RO77mn. In terms of re-exports, Saudi Arabia was second at RO25mn, followed by Iran at RO16mn.

On the import side, China ranked second with imports valued at RO213mn, followed by India at RO113mn.

Muscat Daily