MUSCAT — Oman’s trade surplus widened to about RO 5.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026 from RO 3.6 billion a year earlier, as growth in oil and gas exports helped total exports outpace imports, provisional official data showed.

Merchandise exports rose 17.8% to RO 15.9 billion in the January–July period, while imports increased 5.2% to RO 10.4 billion, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

Oil and gas exports climbed 21.6% to about RO 10.4 billion from RO 8.6 billion a year earlier. Non-oil exports increased to RO 4.3 billion from RO 3.9 billion.

Re-exports rose 13.6% to about RO 1.1 billion.

The United Arab Emirates was the largest destination for Oman’s non-oil exports, receiving goods worth about RO 1.4 billion. Saudi Arabia followed with RO 418 million and India with RO 402 million. Non-oil exports to the United States and South Korea totalled RO 286 million and RO 179 million, respectively.

Iran was the leading destination for re-exports, with shipments rising 64.4% to RO 294 million. The UAE followed at RO 252 million and Saudi Arabia at RO 223 million.

The UAE was also Oman’s largest source of imports, supplying goods worth about RO 2.9 billion, up 23.4% from a year earlier. China ranked second at RO 1.4 billion, followed by Turkey at RO 745 million, India at RO 744 million and Saudi Arabia at RO 649 million.