Egypt’s foreign trade balance showed notable deterioration in February 2026, as exports declined while imports surged, leading to a sharp expansion in the trade deficit, according to data released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Total exports fell by 11.6% year-on-year to $4.2 billion, down from $4.7 billion in February 2025. The decline was driven primarily by weaker shipments of key commodities, including fertilizers, plastics in primary forms, potatoes, and crude oil, all of which recorded significant contractions.
Fertilizer exports dropped by 39.3%, while crude oil exports fell by 34.4%. Plastics declined by 16.2%, and potato exports decreased by 16%, reflecting uneven performance across major export categories.
However, some sectors provided partial support to overall export performance. Petroleum products rose sharply by 85.4%, fresh fruits increased by 49.1%, and ready-made garments grew by 8%. Food preparations also recorded a modest rise of 2.4%, helping to cushion the overall downturn.
On the import side, Egypt saw a significant increase of 24.7%, with total imports reaching $9.3 billion compared to $7.4 billion in the same month last year. The rise was driven by higher purchases of natural gas, copper and its products, iron and steel raw materials, and wheat.
Natural gas imports surged by 56.2%, copper products by 74.2%, and wheat by 4.5%, reflecting continued demand for energy and industrial inputs. Meanwhile, imports of petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, passenger cars, and plastics declined, indicating selective easing in certain categories.
As a result of diverging export and import trends, Egypt’s trade deficit widened significantly to $5.1 billion in February 2026, compared to $2.7 billion a year earlier, an increase of 87.5%.
The figures highlight ongoing pressure on Egypt’s external accounts, driven by fluctuating global commodity prices and shifting domestic demand for imports.
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