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# [MAURITIUS] Trade balance: deficit surges 25% in June 2026
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/maurice-balance-commerciale-le-deficit-bondit-de-25-en-juin-2026-en/
- Published: 2026-08-19T13:39:06.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-19T13:39:06.000Z
- Description: Mauritius' trade deficit reached Rs 23.72 billion in June 2026, up 25.3% year-on-year. The petroleum bill, rising 34%, is weighing heavily on the island's external accounts.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Maurice, Économie, finance, Clôture, #en

**Mauritius' trade deficit reached Rs 23.72 billion in June 2026, up 25.3% year-on-year, according to figures published by Statistics Mauritius on 19 August. The island's external trade dynamics are sending warning signals.**

## Surging imports

Total imports reached Rs 33.54 billion in June 2026, an 18.8% year-on-year increase from Rs 28.22 billion in June 2025, and a 12.5% month-on-month rise compared to May (Rs 29.81 billion). The energy bill is a major driver of the imbalance: petroleum products cost Rs 9.71 billion, up 34% year-on-year and representing nearly 29% of total imports. Machinery and equipment (Rs 6.58 billion) and food products (Rs 6.17 billion) round out the top import categories.

## Exports struggling to keep pace

Exports grew by only 5.6% year-on-year to Rs 9.81 billion, unable to offset the surge in imports. The gap between the two flows explains the deepening deficit: it already stood at Rs 20.55 billion in May 2026, continuing a trend seen throughout the first half of the year. The import-to-export ratio now exceeds 3.4 — meaning Mauritius imports more than three times what it exports in value.

## Why it matters

A persistently widening trade deficit raises questions about Mauritian export competitiveness and the island's structural dependence on energy imports. For a small island economy targeting high-income status by 2050, managing the balance of payments is a strategic imperative. The Bank of Mauritius and the Ministry of Finance will need to monitor the combined impact of global oil prices and rupee exchange rates in the months ahead.

*Sources: Statistics Mauritius, ION News (19 August 2026), Maurice Info.*