According to the Department of Statistics, cited by Jordan News Agency (Petra), domestic exports grew 3% in the first two months of 2026, although a 12.6% drop in re-exports caused overall shipments to decline 0.8% to 1.71 billion dinars (USD 1.9 billion) compared with the same period last year.
External performance has occurred against a backdrop of macroeconomic stability: in February, S&P Global Ratings affirmed the country’s BB- sovereign rating with a stable outlook, citing progress on fiscal and structural reforms, resilient economic performance and continued international support. Growth is expected to pick up to about 3% in 2026, driven by a recovery in trade and tourism.
“Imports decreased by 2.5% to reach 3 billion dinars during the first two months of 2026. Consequently, the trade deficit reached 1.29 billion dinars, a decrease of 65 million dinars, or 4.8%, compared to the same period in 2025,” Petra reported.
“The ratio of total exports to imports reached 57 per cent during the first two months of 2026, compared to 56 per cent for the same period in 2025, an increase of 1 percentage point,” it added.
However, the month-to-month data suggested weaker momentum. Exports declined 6.8% year-on-year to 811 million dinars in February, while domestic exports dropped 4.9% and re-exports declined 13.4%. Imports rose 6% to 1.50 billion dinars, pushing the monthly trade deficit up 26.3% to 691 million dinars.
Key commodities that contributed to the export gains included a 46.5% increase in raw potash, a 17.6% rise in pharmaceuticals, a 16.2% increase in raw phosphates, a 6.4% increase in clothing and accessories, and a 0.8% rise in fertilisers.
For imports, purchases of jewellery and precious metals surged by 37.6%, plastics rose 9.2%, and machinery and electrical equipment rose slightly. However, imports of crude oil and derivatives fell 8.8%, machinery fell 7%, and vehicles and bicycles fell sharply by 38.4%. By geography, exports rose with shipments to non-Arab Asian markets, principally China, and to EU markets like the Netherlands, while imports rose from the Greater Arab Free Trade Area countries and China.