Russia's foreign trade surplus falls 14.1% to $86.3 bln in Jan-Aug - customs

MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - Russia's foreign trade surplus fell 14.1% year-on-year to $86.3 billion in January-August 2025, compared with $100.5 billion a year previously, it follows from data published by the Federal Customs Service (FCS) on Friday.

The FCS estimates that exports from Russia fell 5.2% YoY to $264.2 billion in the period, versus $278.7 billion a year previously, while imports fell 0.1% from $178.2 billion to $177.9 billion.

Foreign trade amounted to $442.1 billion in the first eight months of 2025, down 3.2% from $456.9 billion in January-August 2024.

Russia exported $38.1 billion of goods to Europe in 8M 2025, down 14.3%, $203.6 billion to Asia, down 2.7%, $13.9 billion to Africa, down 14.9%, and $8.5 billion to America, down 0.5%.

Imports from Europe amounted to $46 billion, down 4.2%, $118.5 billion from Asia, up 0.2%, $3 billion from Africa, up 33.3%, and $10.4 billion from America, up 11.6%.

Russia exported $146.9 billion of mineral products in the period, a decrease of 15.5%, $45.5 billion of metals and metal products, up 18.1%, $23.8 billion of food and agricultural raw materials, down 12.7%, $21.9 billion of chemical products, up 22.7%, $17 billion of machinery, equipment, vehicles and other goods, up 30.2%, and $7 billion of timber and pulp and paper products, up 5.4%.

It imported $84.9 billion of machinery, equipment, vehicles and other goods, down 5.9%, $35.9 billion of chemical products, up 4.8%, $27.7 billion of food and agricultural raw materials, up 14%, $12.4 billion of textiles, textile products and footwear, up 2.1%, and $11.7 billion of metals and metal products, up 0.6%.

As reported, Russia's trade surplus widened 7.8% in 2024 to $150.9 billion, from $140 billion in 2023. Exports rose 2% to $433.9 billion while imports fell 0.8% to $283 billion.