Malta’s exports to the US plunge 60% in first half of 2025

Malta’s exports to the United States fell by €118.1 million in the first half of 2025, the sharpest drop among all trading partners, according to provisional figures from the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The decline was partly offset by a €77.9 million increase in exports to Turkey, which recorded the highest growth over the same period. Exports to South America also multiplied, from just €3.9 million in the first half of 2024 to €24.9 million in the first half of this year.

Overall, Malta’s trade in goods deficit for January–June 2025 stood at €1.93 billion, narrowing by €44.9 million compared to the first half of 2024.

Imports totalled €4.11 billion, down €256.1 million year-on-year, while exports reached €2.18 billion, a decrease of €211.2 million.

By sector, the biggest falls in exports were in machinery and transport equipment (€203.5 million) and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (€65.2 million). These were partly offset by a €29.6 million rise in miscellaneous transactions and commodities.

On the import side, drops in mineral fuels (€184.6 million) and machinery and transport equipment (€105.1 million) outweighed increases in chemicals (€55.2 million).

By trading partner, the European Union remained Malta’s dominant source of imports (60.0 per cent) and leading export destination (35.3 per cent), followed by Asia, which accounted for 20.6 per cent of imports and 12.9 per cent of exports.

The Netherlands saw the largest increase in imports (€108.4 million), while imports from Italy fell most sharply (€128.3 million).

For the month of June alone, Malta recorded a trade deficit of €426.8 million, up from €350.6 million in June 2024

The figures underscore both the volatility in Malta’s trade relationships and the shifting sectoral composition of its economy – with chemicals emerging as a growth area and machinery exports under sustained pressure.