In the first half of 2026, Oman experienced a significant increase in its trade surplus, reaching approximately OMR4.7 billion, a 51% rise from OMR3.1 billion during the same timeframe the previous year. This notable growth is highlighted by official data, which shows that merchandise exports surged by 15.3% to nearly OMR13.2 billion by the end of June. The primary driver of this boost was the robust performance of oil and gas exports, which saw their value climb 16.5% to OMR8.6 billion, up from OMR7.4 billion a year ago.
In addition to oil and gas, non-oil exports also contributed to this growth, increasing by 11.4% to around OMR3.6 billion. Meanwhile, the re-export sector marked a 20% rise, totaling OMR978 million. While exports saw substantial growth, merchandise imports grew at a more modest pace, rising by only 2.1% to OMR8.6 billion.
The United Arab Emirates emerged as the largest recipient of Oman’s non-oil exports, importing goods valued at OMR1.134 billion. Following the UAE, Saudi Arabia imported OMR357 million worth of non-oil goods from Oman, with India closely trailing at OMR333 million. The trend in re-exports placed Iran at the forefront, receiving OMR254 million worth of goods. The UAE and Saudi Arabia also featured prominently in re-exports, with figures of OMR221 million and OMR188 million, respectively.
On the import side, the United Arab Emirates maintained its position as Oman’s leading trading partner, supplying goods worth OMR2.423 billion. China was the second-largest supplier, providing OMR1.194 billion worth of imports, while Türkiye held the third spot with OMR676 million in goods supplied to Oman.