Kuwait’s trade surplus fell by 30.6% in the Q1 of 2026 to 1.768 billion dinars, compared with 2.54 billion dinars during the same period in 2025, with both exports and imports declining amid lower trade activity, said the latest data released by the Gulf country’s Central Statistical Bureau.
As per the data, total exports dropped by 20.5% to 4.502 billion dinars from 5.66 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025. Imports declined as well, falling 12.3% to 2.734 billion dinars from 3.11 billion dinars a year earlier. Due to this, Kuwait’s total trade exchange contracted by 17.6% to 7.236 billion dinars during Q1 2026, down from 8.77 billion dinars in the corresponding quarter of last year.
“The slowdown continued in March, when the monthly trade surplus declined by 29.2% year-on-year to 610.6 million dinars, compared with 862.8 million dinars in March 2025. Exports during the month fell 37.8% to 1.181 billion dinars, while imports dropped 45% to 570.6 million dinars,” noted the Central Statistical Bureau.
Oil and petroleum product exports accounted for the Gulf country’s majority of overseas sales, reaching approximately 1.09 billion dinars in March 2026, down from 1.7 billion dinars in the same month in 2025.
“Non-oil exports totalled 42.5 million dinars, while re-exports reached 44 million dinars,” the Central Statistical Bureau added further.
As per the bureau, Saudi Arabia remained the leading destination for Kuwait’s non-oil exports in March, with the Kingdom importing goods worth 26.5 million dinars. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) came second at 17.1 million dinars, followed by Jordan (at 7.5 million dinars), India (at 7.47 million dinars) and Iraq (at 5.24 million dinars).
“On the import side, China retained its position as Kuwait’s largest trading partner, with imports valued at 105.3 million dinars during March. Saudi Arabia followed with imports worth 95.8 million dinars, ahead of the UAE at 64.1 million dinars and Japan at 31.2 million dinars,” the agency remarked.
Trade with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries also weakened during March 2026. Kuwaiti exports to GCC markets declined by 35.1% to 49.4 million dinars compared with 76.2 million dinars in March 2025. Still, Gulf markets accounted for 4.2% of Kuwait’s total exports, slightly higher than the 4% share recorded a year earlier.