Malta Trade Deficit Largest in a Year

Malta’s trade deficit narrowed to EUR 296 million in August 2026 from EUR 372 million in the same month a year earlier. This marked the lowest deficit since March, as exports advanced 19.0% year-on-year to EUR 481.4 million, lifted by significant gains in shipments of food (+20.7%), crude materials (+111.1%), mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials (+43.7%), and machinery and transport equipment (+26.8%). Meanwhile, imports rose by 0.1% to EUR 777.1 million, driven largely by higher purchases of mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials (+43.9%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (+12.2%). These gains offset declines in imports of food (-15.0%), animal and vegetable oils and fats (-33.3%), and chemicals (-32.7%). In the January–August period, Malta recorded a trade deficit of EUR 2,838 million, down from EUR 3,462 million a year earlier.

Malta’s trade deficit narrowed to EUR 525 million in July 2026 from EUR 993 million a year earlier, although it was the largest deficit since July 2025. Exports surged 37.1% year-on-year to EUR 486 million, with notably higher shipments of chemicals (135%), machinery and transport equipment (23.6%), food (76.7%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (72.8%), and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (7.4%). Meanwhile, imports plunged 25.0% to EUR 1,011 million, due to declines in purchases of machinery and transport (-38.7%), food (-25.6%), semi-manufactured goods (-14.0%), chemicals (-4.4%), and animal and vegetable oils and fats (-14.8%). In the first seven months of the year, the deficit decreased to EUR 2,479 million, compared with EUR 3,087 million a year earlier.

Malta’s trade deficit narrowed to €408 million in June 2026 from an upwardly revised €472.4 million a year earlier, although marking the largest deficit since July 2025. Exports surged 17.9%, driven mainly by higher shipments of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (34.69%) and machinery and transport equipment (32.05%), partly offset by a 23.56% decline in chemicals. Meanwhile, imports edged up 0.4%, supported by increased purchases of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (10.10%), which offset lower imports of machinery and transport equipment (-3.97%), chemicals (-7.46%) and semi-manufactured goods (-5.52%). In the second quarter of 2026, the trade deficit widened to €1,195.8 million from €714.3 million in Q1. In the first half of 2026, however, the deficit narrowed sharply to €177.4 million from €1,910.2 million a year earlier.