Riyadh: The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) today released its International Trade Statistics bulletin for March 2025 and the first quarter of the same year (Q1 2025), highlighting the continued growth of non-oil exports.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the results showed a notable 13.4% surge in non-oil exports, including re-exports, in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024. Furthermore, March 2025 alone recorded a 10.7% growth over March 2024, underscoring the increasing contribution of non-oil sectors to the Kingdom's foreign trade.
Conversely, total merchandise exports fell by 3.2% year-on-year in Q1 2025, with a sharper decline of 9.8% recorded in March.
Merchandise imports, however, grew by 7.3% in Q1 2025 and a modest 0.1% in March 2025 when compared to the corresponding periods last year.
The trade balance surplus decreased by 28% in Q1 and by 34.2% in March.
The report also showed an improved ratio of non-oil exports to imports, reaching 36.2% in Q1 2025, up from 34.3% in Q1 2024, and 36.5% in March, up from 33% in March 2024.
Meanwhile, the share of oil exports in total merchandise exports dropped to 71.8% in Q1 2025, down from 75.9% in Q1 2024, and to 71.2% in March, compared to 76.5% in March 2024.
Chemical products topped the list of non-oil export commodities, accounting for 23.8% of total non-oil exports in Q1 and 25.7% in March 2025.
Conversely, machinery, electrical equipment, and parts were the largest imported commodities, representing 25.8% in Q1 and 26.1% in March.
The bulletin confirmed that China remains the Kingdom's primary merchandise trading partner, accounting for 15.7% of total exports and 26.6% of total imports in Q1 2025. In March, China's share was 15.5% for exports and 25.3% for imports.
According to GASTAT, the International Trade Statistics are based on administrative records from the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority for non-oil data, and from the Ministry of Energy for oil data. Commodities are classified according to the 2022 Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System.