Mbabane– Eswatini spent atleast E232.68 million more on goods bought from other countries than it earned from goods it sold abroad in July, with increased purchases of petrol and diesel contributing to the growing gap.
New figures released by the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) yesterday show that the country bought goods worth E3.96 billion from outside its borders during the month, while it sold goods worth E3.72 billion to other countries.
The gap represents a sharp deterioration from July last year, when imports and exports were almost evenly matched. In July 2025, Eswatini imported goods worth E3.81 billion against exports of E3.80 billion, leaving a relatively small trade deficit of about E10 million.
ERS said the decline in exports was mainly due to lower exports of concentrates and chewing gum. At the same time, the country’s import bill rose largely because of higher purchases of petrol and diesel.
The figures mean that Eswatini was selling less abroad at a time when it was spending more on goods coming into the country, widening the gap between its earnings from exports and its spending on imports.
Notably, between April and July 2026, Eswatini recorded a trade deficit of E1.05 billion, compared to E753.65 million during the same period last year.
Although exports increased during the four-month period, rising by 5.99 per cent year-on-year to E14.38 billion, this growth was not enough to keep pace with imports. Imports grew by 7.76 per cent to E15.43 billion, meaning the country continued to spend more on goods from abroad than it earned from goods sold outside its borders.
With the trade deficit already exceeding E1 billion in the first four months of the financial year, the latest figures are likely to add urgency to efforts to increase domestic production, grow exports and reduce reliance on imported goods where local alternatives can be developed.
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