At the end of the first quarter of 2026, Tunisia’s trade deficit slightly widened by 3.62% compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS) based in Tunis.
This deficit stood at a level of -5.232 billion dinars (1.779 billion dollars) compared to -5.049 billion dinars (1.716 billion dollars) during the first quarter of 2025. However, the food group recorded a surplus of +798.3 million dinars.
“This deficit comes from the group of energy products of -2.990 billion dinars, raw materials and semi-finished products of -1.601 billion dinars, capital goods of -977 million dinars and consumer goods of -462.2 million dinars,” explains the INS in its External Trade Note at current prices. This structure also states that the deficit of the trade balance excluding energy has been reduced to -2.242 billion dinars, while the energy balance deficit stood at -2.990 billion dinars compared to -2.881 billion dinars during the first quarter of 2025.
According to the INS, the coverage rate reached a level of 75.7% compared to 75.2% during the same period in 2025.
The results of Tunisia’s trade exchanges with the outside world at current prices during the period under review showed that exports reached the level of 16.266 billion dinars compared to 15.325 billion dinars during the same period in 2025, representing an increase of 6.1%.
By sector, the INS notes that exports increased in the mechanical and electrical industries sector by +10.6% and the agri-food industries sector by +16.1% following the increase in olive oil sales (1.991 billion dinars against 1 billion dinars). Similarly, an increase of +6.2% is recorded in the energy sector due to the increase in sales of refined products (247.5 million dinars against 78.2 million dinars). Furthermore, exports decreased in the mines, phosphates and derivatives sector by -20.3% and the textile, clothing and leather sector by -5%.
Regarding the geographical distribution of Tunisian exports, the INS highlights that exports to the European Union (EU) during the first quarter of 2026 (71.5% of total exports) reached the value of 11.628 billion dinars compared to 10.736 billion dinars during the same period in 2025.
Exports increased with France (+10.6%), Italy (+4%) and Germany (+3.3%). However, they decreased with some European partners, including the Netherlands (-15.9%) and Greece (-29.8%).
Towards Arab countries, exports increased with Egypt (+52.9%) and Saudi Arabia (+80.6%). However, they decreased with Morocco (-39.5%) and Algeria and Libya at the same rate (-22.2%).
As for imports, they reached the level of 21.499 billion dinars compared to 20.374 billion dinars during the same period in 2025, representing a 5.5% increase.
At this level, the INS reports that according to the grouping of products, imports increased in all groups, especially food products by +13.9%, capital goods by +5.3%, energy products by +4.2%, consumer goods by +4.9% and raw materials and semi-finished products by +4.5%.
What about the geographical distribution of Tunisian imports? According to INS data, imports with the EU (45.2% of total imports) reached 9.722 billion dinars compared to 8.744 billion dinars during the first quarter of 2025. Imports increased with France (+21.9%) and Italy (+13.8%). However, they decreased with Spain (-4.1%) and Greece (-21.2%).
Outside the EU, imports increased with Turkey (+6.3%) and India (+39.5%). However, they decreased with Russia (-61.6%) and China (-7.3%).
