North Macedonia’s trade deficit narrowed to $168 million in September 2026, the smallest gap since January 2021, from $303 million in the same month a year earlier. Exports surged 23.9% year-on-year to $1,018 million, while imports increased at a much slower pace of 5.5% to $1,186 million.
Over the January–September period, exports rose 14.9% to $7,688 million, supported mainly by chemicals and related products (up 22.7%), machinery and transport equipment (up 5.5%), and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (up 10.2%). Export growth was particularly strong to Bulgaria (22.1%), Serbia (21.7%), and Germany (5.2%).
During the same nine-month period, imports increased 12.0% to $10,666 million, driven by higher purchases of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (23.8%), manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (13.8%), and chemicals and related products (11.7%). The fastest import growth was recorded from Great Britain (43.5%), Greece (56.7%), and China (9.0%).
As a result, the trade deficit for the first nine months of the year reached $2,978 million.
