Over the months and even years, Tunisia’s trade balance deficit has fluctuated through peaks that are rarely fully contained.
By the end of April 2026, it stood at -7,528.8 million dinars (MD), compared to -7,293 MD during the same period in 2025, according to the foreign trade report at current prices for April 2026 published on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
This deficit is mainly driven by energy products (-4,192.4 MD), raw materials and semi-finished goods (-1,981.1 MD), capital goods (-1,459.7 MD), and consumer goods (-859.1 MD), while the food group recorded a surplus of +963.5 MD.
As a result, the coverage rate reached 75.1%, compared to 74% during the same period in 2025.
It should be noted that the non-energy trade deficit narrowed to -3,336.4 MD, while the energy trade deficit stood at -4,192.4 MD, compared to -3,683.3 MD during the first four months of 2025.
Exports up 9.5%
Foreign trade results for the first four months of 2026 show that exports increased by 9.5% to reach 22,693.8 MD, compared to 20,725.2 MD in the same period of 2025.
By sector, exports rose in mechanical and electrical industries (+12.2%) and agri-food industries (+24.3%), driven by higher olive oil sales (2,633.1 MD vs 1,758.6 MD).
Energy exports also increased (+13%) due to higher sales of refined products (449.3 MD vs 105.8 MD).
The textile, clothing, and leather sector saw a slight increase of +0.3%.
However, exports declined in mining, phosphates and derivatives (-23.6%).
Exports to the European Union (71.3% of total exports) reached 16,183.3 MD, compared to 14,524.3 MD in 2025.
Exports increased to France (+13.8%), Italy (+5.2%), and Germany (+4.7%), but declined to the Netherlands (-7.5%) and Greece (-38.9%).
To Arab countries, exports rose to Egypt (+99.9%) and Saudi Arabia (+71.7%), but fell to Morocco (-40.1%), Algeria (-20.3%) and Libya (-19.6%).
Imports up 7.9%
Imports reached 30,222.7 MD by the end of April 2026, compared to 28,018.1 MD in the same period of 2025, marking a 7.9% increase.
All product groups recorded increases: food products (+18.3%), capital goods (+8.9%), energy products (+13.7%), consumer goods (+7.7%) and raw materials and semi-finished goods (+2.2%).
Imports from the European Union (45.5% of total imports) reached 13,750.7 MD, compared to 12,139.4 MD in 2025.
They increased from France (+24.7%) and Italy (+10.7%), but declined from Bulgaria (-19.3%) and Greece (-6.4%).
Outside the EU, imports rose from Turkey (+8.1%) and India (+32.1%), while decreasing from Russia (-57%) and China (-3.7%).
