Saudi Arabia recorded a trade surplus of SAR63 billion ($16.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest International Trade Bulletin issued by the General Authority for Statistics. This marks a 52% increase from Q4 2024, when the surplus stood at SAR41 billion ($10.9 billion).
The strong performance was underpinned by robust oil exports and expanding non-oil trade, reinforcing the Kingdom’s strategy to boost economic resilience and trade diversification.
Total Trade Value Tops SAR508 Billion
During Q1 2025, Saudi Arabia’s total international trade reached SAR508 billion ($135.3 billion). Of this:
- Exports amounted to SAR285 billion ($75.9 billion)
- Imports stood at SAR222 billion ($59 billion)
Oil exports remained the dominant contributor, generating over SAR205 billion ($54.6 billion) and accounting for 71.8% of total exports.
Non-Oil and Re-Exports Support Diversification Goals
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil national exports reached SAR54 billion ($14.4 billion), representing 19% of total exports. In addition, re-exports contributed over SAR26 billion ($6.9 billion), or 9.3%.
Combined, non-oil exports—including re-exports—were processed through 34 customs ports across land, sea, and air channels. These totaled over SAR80 billion ($21.3 billion) in value.
Key export hubs included:
- King Fahd Industrial Port in Jubail: SAR9.9 billion ($2.64 billion) or 12.3%
- Jeddah Islamic Port: SAR9.7 billion ($2.59 billion) or 12.1%
Asia Remains Leading Trade Partner
Asian countries remained the Kingdom’s largest trade partners, importing 74.6% of Saudi exports—valued at over SAR213 billion ($56.7 billion).
Other regional trade breakdowns:
- Europe: 12.1% of exports (SAR34 billion / $9.1 billion)
- Africa: 8.1% of exports (SAR23 billion / $6.1 billion)
At the individual country level:
- China led with 15.7% of exports (SAR44 billion / $11.7 billion)
- India followed with 9.8% (SAR28 billion / $7.5 billion)
- Japan ranked third with 9.3% (SAR26 billion / $6.9 billion)
Sustained Momentum Across Sectors
The Q1 2025 trade data highlights the Kingdom’s continued progress in both traditional and emerging sectors. While oil exports remain pivotal, the growth in non-oil trade and increased port activity reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to Vision 2030 and its broader economic transformation agenda.
