Saudi Arabia's trade surplus more than doubled year-on-year in April 2026, reaching SR25.43 billion ($6.79 billion), as oil exports rose and imports declined, official data showed. The surplus surged 100.8 percent compared to April 2025, according to preliminary figures released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
Exports Rise and Imports Fall
Total merchandise exports climbed 9.3 percent year-on-year to SR101.17 billion, while imports dropped 5.2 percent to SR75.74 billion. The increase was largely driven by stronger oil shipments, which rose 11.7 percent from a year earlier. Oil accounted for 68.8 percent of total exports in April, up from 67.4 percent in the same month of 2025.
The trade performance also highlighted progress in non-oil exports and import substitution, underscoring Saudi Arabia's ongoing economic diversification efforts under Vision 2030. GASTAT noted that the ratio of non-oil exports (including re-exports) to imports increased to 41.6 percent in April 2026, compared to 37.8 percent in April 2025. This improvement was driven by a 4.5 percent increase in non-oil exports and a 5.2 percent decrease in imports over the same period.
Non-Oil Exports: Machinery and Plastics Lead
Non-oil exports, including re-exports, totaled SR31.52 billion in April. The value of re-exported goods surged 20.4 percent, while national non-oil exports excluding re-exports fell 7.3 percent. Machinery, electrical equipment, and parts emerged as the leading non-oil export category, accounting for 28.1 percent of total non-oil exports and growing by 70 percent compared to April 2025. Plastic and rubber products followed, representing 17.1 percent of non-oil exports, though they declined by 12.4 percent year-on-year.
Top Trading Partners
China remained Saudi Arabia's primary merchandise trading partner, receiving 15.2 percent of total exports. The UAE was the second-largest export destination at 10.6 percent, followed by South Korea at 9.7 percent. Other top export destinations included India, Japan, Malta, Singapore, the US, Egypt, and Poland. Together, the top 10 export destinations accounted for 65.4 percent of total exports.
On the import side, China supplied 29.4 percent of total imports, followed by the UAE at 7.9 percent and the US at 7.2 percent. Other major import sources included Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, India, France, and Italy. Imports from the top 10 countries represented 70.7 percent of Saudi Arabia's overall imports.
Key Entry and Exit Points
Jeddah Islamic Seaport was the leading entry point for imports, handling 33.7 percent of total imports. It was followed by King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (20.9 percent), King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (17 percent), King Fahad International Airport in Dammam (5.2 percent), and Al Bat'ha Port (4.6 percent). These five ports together handled 81.4 percent of Saudi Arabia's total merchandise imports.
For non-oil exports, Jeddah Islamic Port was the primary outlet, accounting for 23.3 percent of total non-oil exports in April. It was followed by King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (15.8 percent), King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (15.4 percent), Al Bat'ha Port (7.2 percent), and Neom Seaport (5.7 percent). Collectively, these five ports accounted for 67.4 percent of Saudi Arabia's total non-oil merchandise exports.
