Saudi Arabia’s merchandise imports declined 4% year-on-year (YoY) in October to SAR 72 billion, marking the first annual pullback in 10 months, according to data issued by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
Moreover, merchandise imports decreased 1%, or nearly SAR 1.1 billion, month-on-month (MoM), as follows:
Saudi Merchandise Imports (SAR bln)*
Month
2023
2024
Value
YoY Change (%)
January
66.07
67.04
+0.97
+1%
February
56.20
67.14
+10.95
+19%
March
66.69
73.59
+6.90
+10%
April
61.12
63.99
+2.88
+5%
May
68.44
75.02
+6.58
+10%
June
60.80
69.27
+8.47
+14%
July
66.79
77.92
+11.13
+17%
August
67.44
69.77
+2.33
+3%
September
60.75
73.10
+12.35
+15%
October
74.87
72.01
(2.86)
(4%)
November
64.66
—
—
—
December
62.20
—
—
—
Imports of machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, and parts thereof accounted for 26%, or SAR 18.5 billion, of the total Saudi imports in October.
Vehicles, aircraft, vessels, and associated transport equipment came in second at roughly 15%.
The table below shows details of Saudi imports in October by segment:
Saudi Imports by Segment in October (SAR bln)
Segment
October
2023
October
2024
Value
Change
(%)
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Electrical Equipment; Parts Thereof
17.33
18.52
1.19+
+7%
Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels, and Associated Transport Equipment
14.04
11.01
(3.03)
(22%)
Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries
6.21
6.54
+0.33
+5%
Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal
6.35
6.47
+0.12
+2%
Mineral Products
6.01
4.63
(1.39)
(23%)
Vegetable Products
3.01
3.19
+0.18
+6%
Prepared Foodstuffs; Beverages, Spirits, and Vinegar; Tobacco and
Manufactured Tobacco Substitutes
4.10
2.95
(1.15)
(28%)
Plastics and Articles Thereof; Rubber and Articles Thereof
2.95
2.75
(0.20)
(7%)
Optical, Photo, and Film Equipment
2.26
2.57
+0.31
+14%
Livestock and Animal Products
2.18
2.27
+0.08
+4%
Others
10.42
11.12
+0.70
+7%
Total
74.87
72.01
(2.85)
(4%)
Saudi Arabia’s imports came mainly from China in October, at SAR 17.6 billion (26%) of the total. The US came in second with SAR 5.7 billion, followed by the UAE (SAR 4.3 billion).
The top 10 exporters to Saudi Arabia accounted for almost 64%, or SAR 46.2 billion, of total imports in for the same month, as shown below:
Top 10 Exporters to Saudi Arabia in October (SAR bln)
Country
Value
% ofTotal
China
17.58
24.4%
US
5.69
7.9%
UAE
4.35
6.0%
India
4.12
5.7%
Germany
3.22
4.5%
Italy
2.67
3.7%
Egypt
2.54
3.5%
Japan
2.35
3.3%
South Korea
1.87
2.6%
UK
1.81
2.5%
Other Countries
25.82
35.9%
Total
72.01
100.0%
Saudi Arabia’s merchandise imports declined 4% year-on-year (YoY) in October to SAR 72 billion, marking the first annual pullback in 10 months, according to data issued by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
Moreover, merchandise imports decreased 1%, or nearly SAR 1.1 billion, month-on-month (MoM), as follows:
Saudi Merchandise Imports (SAR bln)*
Month
2023
2024
Value
YoY Change (%)
January
66.07
67.04
+0.97
+1%
February
56.20
67.14
+10.95
+19%
March
66.69
73.59
+6.90
+10%
April
61.12
63.99
+2.88
+5%
May
68.44
75.02
+6.58
+10%
June
60.80
69.27
+8.47
+14%
July
66.79
77.92
+11.13
+17%
August
67.44
69.77
+2.33
+3%
September
60.75
73.10
+12.35
+15%
October
74.87
72.01
(2.86)
(4%)
November
64.66
—
—
—
December
62.20
—
—
—
Imports of machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, and parts thereof accounted for 26%, or SAR 18.5 billion, of the total Saudi imports in October.
Vehicles, aircraft, vessels, and associated transport equipment came in second at roughly 15%.
The table below shows details of Saudi imports in October by segment:
Saudi Imports by Segment in October (SAR bln)
Segment
October
2023
October
2024
Value
Change
(%)
Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Electrical Equipment; Parts Thereof
17.33
18.52
1.19+
+7%
Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels, and Associated Transport Equipment
14.04
11.01
(3.03)
(22%)
Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries
6.21
6.54
+0.33
+5%
Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal
6.35
6.47
+0.12
+2%
Mineral Products
6.01
4.63
(1.39)
(23%)
Vegetable Products
3.01
3.19
+0.18
+6%
Prepared Foodstuffs; Beverages, Spirits, and Vinegar; Tobacco and
Manufactured Tobacco Substitutes
4.10
2.95
(1.15)
(28%)
Plastics and Articles Thereof; Rubber and Articles Thereof
2.95
2.75
(0.20)
(7%)
Optical, Photo, and Film Equipment
2.26
2.57
+0.31
+14%
Livestock and Animal Products
2.18
2.27
+0.08
+4%
Others
10.42
11.12
+0.70
+7%
Total
74.87
72.01
(2.85)
(4%)
Saudi Arabia’s imports came mainly from China in October, at SAR 17.6 billion (26%) of the total. The US came in second with SAR 5.7 billion, followed by the UAE (SAR 4.3 billion).
The top 10 exporters to Saudi Arabia accounted for almost 64%, or SAR 46.2 billion, of total imports in for the same month, as shown below:
Top 10 Exporters to Saudi Arabia in October (SAR bln)
Country
Value
% ofTotal
China
17.58
24.4%
US
5.69
7.9%
UAE
4.35
6.0%
India
4.12
5.7%
Germany
3.22
4.5%
Italy
2.67
3.7%
Egypt
2.54
3.5%
Japan
2.35
3.3%
South Korea
1.87
2.6%
UK
1.81
2.5%
Other Countries
25.82
35.9%
Total
72.01
100.0%
