In October 2025, Mauritius experienced a significant expansion in its trade deficit, which reached MUR 22.1 billion compared to MUR 19 billion in the same month the previous year. This represents the most substantial trade imbalance since December 2024. The increase in the trade deficit is attributed to a 9.7% rise in imports, which totaled MUR 31.2 billion. This surge in imports was predominantly fueled by increased acquisitions of food and live animals (up 41.0%), mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials (up 5.1%), as well as machinery and transport equipment (up 1.9%). Mauritius saw a notable increase in imports from its primary suppliers, notably China (up 14.2%), India (up 17.4%), and France (up 39.4%).
Conversely, exports decreased by 5% year-on-year to MUR 9.1 billion. This decline was mainly due to reduced shipments of food and live animals (down 16.9%), beverages and tobacco (down 27.0%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (down 8.9%), and machinery and transport equipment (down 5.2%). Among the country's principal trading partners, exports to France fell by 19.2%, shipments to Madagascar decreased significantly by 39.0%, and exports to the United Kingdom dropped by 19.0%.
