Trade deficit expected to increase in 2025

According to the report published on February 25 by Statistics Mauritius, Mauritius’ trade deficit is expected to increase by 2.9% in 2025, reaching Rs 210 billion ( 4.62 billion USD) compared to Rs 204 billion in 2024.

This projection is fueled by an increase in imports into the country, which are expected to reach Rs 320 billion in 2025, up 1.9% compared to 2024. On the other hand, total exports are expected to remain at a similar level to that of 2024, with revenues estimated at Rs 110 billion.

This figure marks an increase of 6.2% compared to the Rs 103.8 billion recorded in 2023. This increase in exports is mainly due to the strong growth in the sectors of « Ship’s Stores and Bunkers » (+45.7%) and « Food and live animals » (+4.4%), although some segments such as « Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material » recorded a significant decrease of 13.8%.

On the other hand, imports, which reached Rs 314 billion in 2024, saw an increase of 10.6%, largely due to the increase in imports of « Mineral fuels, lubricants & related products » (+18.8%), as well as « Chemicals and related products » (+13.6%) and « Machinery & transport equipment » (+12.2%). This increase contributed to a trade deficit of Rs 203.7 billion in 2024, an increase of 13.2% compared to the previous year.

For the fourth quarter of 2024, the trade deficit widened with a 25.4% increase in the deficit compared to 2023, reaching Rs 59.6 billion. Total exports for this quarter increased by 4%, supported by the increase in exports of « Ship’s Stores and Bunkers » and « Food and live animals ». However, imports recorded a more marked increase of 17.9%, putting the trade balance under pressure.