Amman:Jordan’s external merchandise trade balance showed resilience in the first seven months of 2026, with a 10.3 percent year-on-year increase in aggregate exports and a reduced trade deficit, as reported by the Department of Statistics.
According to Jordan News Agency, the total export receipts, which include both domestic merchandise exports and re-exports, rose to 6.395 billion dinars by July. Domestic exports increased by 4.6 percent, reaching 5.509 billion dinars, driven largely by growth in the apparel, chemical fertilizer, and raw potash sectors. Re-exports also saw a significant rise, climbing 67.2 percent to 886 million dinars.
Imports grew by a modest 2.4 percent, totaling 11.585 billion dinars over the seven-month period. This divergence between strong export growth and moderate import increase led to a reduction in Jordan’s trade deficit by 331 million dinars, a 6.0 percent decrease, bringing it down to 5.190 billion dinars.
The export-to-import coverage ratio improved by 4 percentage points, reaching 55 percent compared to 51 percent in the same period of the previous year.
Key industrial sectors bolstered domestic exports. Garments and textile accessories saw a 4.1 percent increase, nitrogenous and chemical fertilizers expanded by 12.0 percent, and raw potash shipments rose by 11.7 percent. However, exports of raw phosphate and precious jewelry faced declines of 12.6 percent and 14.2 percent, respectively.
On the import side, energy and staple commodity imports increased, with crude oil and derivatives up by 45.8 percent and grain imports rising by 9.7 percent. These were offset by decreases in capital goods and durables, including vehicles and motorcycles, mechanical appliances, and electrical machinery.
Regionally, Jordan’s export growth was driven by increased shipments to Syria, China, and the European Union, with notable increases of 33.8 percent, 74.8 percent, and 20.3 percent, respectively. Imports were primarily sourced from the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), led by Saudi Arabia.
In July alone, exports amounted to 926 million dinars, with domestic exports at 813 million dinars and re-exports at 113 million dinars. Imports for the month were 1.746 billion dinars, resulting in a trade deficit of 820 million dinars.
