Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, including re-exports, recorded an increase of 6 percent annually to SAR31 billion ($8.26 billion) in May 2025. National non-oil exports, excluding re-exports, decreased by 1.8 percent, while the value of re-exported goods increased by 20.5 percent during the same period
A report by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed that Saudi Arabia’s merchandise exports decreased by 14 percent to SAR90.4 billion in May 2025 compared to May 2024, as a result of a 21.8 percent decrease in oil exports. Consequently, the percentage of oil exports out of total exports decreased from 72.1 percent in May 2024 to 65.6 percent in May 2025.
On the other hand, imports increased by 7.8 percent to SAR80.9 billion in May 2025, and the surplus of the merchandise trade balance decreased by 68.4 percent to SAR9.5 billion compared to May 2024.
Saudi Arabia’s machinery exports surge 99.8 percent
The ratio of non-oil exports to imports in Saudi Arabia decreased to 38.5 percent in May 2025 from 39.1 percent a year earlier. GASTAT attributed this decline to the increase in imports compared to non-oil exports of 7.8 percent and 6 percent, respectively, during the same period.
In May, Saudi Arabia’s most important non-oil exports were machinery, electrical equipment and parts, which constituted 23.7 percent of the total non-oil exports, recording a 99.8 percent increase compared to May 2024. Following that came chemical products, which represented 22.8 percent of total non-oil exports, with a 0.4 percent increase compared to May 2024.
Meanwhile, the most important imported goods were machinery, electrical equipment and parts, which constituted 29.7 percent of total imports, rising by 23 percent compared to May 2024, followed by transportation equipment and parts, which represented 11.4 percent of total imports, with a 9.2 percent decrease compared to May 2024.
China remains top destination for Saudi exports
In May 2025, Saudi Arabia’s exports to China amounted to 14 percent of total exports, making this country the main destination for the Kingdom’s exports. In second place came the United Arab Emirates with 11.2 percent of total exports and India with 8.9 percent of total exports. South Korea, Japan, the U.S., Egypt, Kingdom of Bahrain, Malta and Malaysia were the other countries that ranked in the top 10 destinations. Exports of the Kingdom to those 10 countries accounted for 64.4 percent of total exports.
Similarly, China held the first position for the Kingdom’s imports, constituting 28.9 percent of total imports in May 2025, followed next by the U.S. with 7.5 percent of total imports and the United Arab Emirates with 6.3 percent of total imports. India, Japan, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Egypt and France were also among the top 10 countries from which imports were made, with the total value of imports from these ten countries accounting for 67.6 percent of total imports.
