Egypt’s exports climb 21.1% to $5.1bn in April 2026

Egypt’s exports increased by 21.1% year-on-year to $5.1bn in April 2026, up from $4.2bn in the same month of 2025, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

CAPMAS attributed the growth to higher exports across several key commodity groups, led by petroleum products, which rose by 44.8%, followed by ready-made garments, up 30%, fresh fruit, up 62.6%, and food pastes and various prepared food products, which increased by 6.8%.

However, exports of several other commodities declined during the month, including fertilisers, which fell by 58.4%; iron bars, rods, angles and wire, down 37.6%; potatoes, down 51.2%; and dried pulses, down 4.4%.

In its monthly foreign trade bulletin, released on Monday, CAPMAS also reported that Egypt’s imports increased by 20.7% to $9.9bn in April 2026, compared with $8.2bn in April 2025.

The increase was mainly driven by higher imports of primary iron and steel materials, which rose by 6.5%; wheat, up 57.5%; copper and copper products, up 84.1%; and plastics in primary forms, up 16.3%.

Meanwhile, imports of several commodities declined, including petroleum products, which fell by 4.4%; organic and inorganic chemicals, down 11.1%; passenger cars, down 22.5%; and refined oils, down 6.7%.

As imports continued to outpace exports, Egypt’s trade deficit widened by 20.2% to $4.8bn in April 2026, compared with $4.0bn in the corresponding month of 2025.