Malta recorded a provisional trade in goods deficit of €295.7 million in August 2026, a marked improvement on the €371.8 million gap posted in the same month a year earlier, according to figures published by the National Statistics Office on 12 October 2026.

Imports for August held broadly steady at €777.1 million, edging up just €0.8 million or 0.1 per cent year on year. Exports told a more striking story, rising 19.0 per cent to €481.4 million, an increase of €76.9 million on August 2025.

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials drove much of the movement in both directions. On the import side, that category added €91.1 million, though lower spending on machinery and transport equipment (down €50.1 million), chemicals (down €36.1 million) and food (down €12.7 million) limited the overall rise. Export gains were similarly led by mineral fuels, up €65.1 million, with machinery and transport equipment contributing a further €26.7 million. A €30.6 million fall in chemicals exports provided a partial offset.

Stripping out mineral fuels, aircraft and ships, the August deficit narrowed to €175.2 million from €211.3 million in August 2025. On that adjusted basis, imports fell 4.3 per cent while exports rose 6.5 per cent.

The cumulative picture for January to August 2026 is similarly encouraging. The trade deficit narrowed by €624.1 million compared with the same eight months of 2025, settling at €2,837.5 million. Total imports over the period stood at €6,317.3 million, down €152.2 million on the prior year, while exports reached €3,479.7 million, up €471.9 million.

Geographically, the European Union remained Malta's dominant trading partner in the year to August, accounting for 59.5 per cent of total imports at €3,756.5 million and 32.6 per cent of total exports at €1,134.7 million. Asia ranked second on both measures, representing 20.7 per cent of imports and 12.7 per cent of exports. Belgium registered the largest increase in imports over the period at €102.7 million, while France recorded the sharpest fall, declining by €512.9 million. On the export side, Germany posted the largest gain at €55.4 million, whereas exports to Turkey dropped by €44.9 million.