The Central Bank of Sudan (CBOS) has released its Mid-Year Foreign Trade Statistical Digest for the first half of 2025 (January–June), marking the third foreign trade report issued by the Bank since the outbreak of war.
This is an analytical review of the report’s contents and a reflection on what its numbers reveal about the state of Sudan’s economy, more than two and a half years after the onset of the devastating April conflict. This analysis compares the value of exports and imports for the first halves of 2022, 2024, and 2025, using the commodity classifications adopted by CBOS. The comparison focuses exclusively on the first halves of each year to avoid seasonal distortions in agriculture and trade. Data for 2023 was omitted, as no detailed report was issued by the Central Bank for that year.
Widening trade deficit
Total exports and imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025) — in thousands of USD
According to the report, Sudan’s exports in the first half of 2025 totaled $1.35 billion, while imports reached $2.54 billion. This reflects a sharp decline compared to the same period in 2022, when exports stood at approximately $2.93 billion and imports at $4.99 billion. Even relative to 2024, both the decline in exports (from $1.7 billion) and the increase in imports (from $2.2 billion) are stark.
As a result, the trade deficit for the first half of 2025 widened to $1.29 billion, compared to just $489 million in the same period of 2024.
Annual trade flows (2005–2024) in thousands of USD
The year 2024 recorded Sudan’s lowest trade deficit since the secession of South Sudan, which cost Sudan more than 75 per cent of its total exports due to the loss of oil revenues. This brief improvement was largely due to a significant drop in imports in the aftermath of the war. However, import volumes began rising again toward the end of 2024, a trend that persisted, albeit at a slower pace, into 2025.
Monthly Trade Flows: January 2024 – June 2025 in thousands of USD
As illustrated in the graph, import values began to climb steadily from September 2024, peaking in December 2024, and then declining slightly at the beginning of 2025. Export values also increased early in 2025 but fell sharply in June 2025, primarily due to a significant drop in gold exports that month.
Export Breakdown: (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025) in thousands of USD
Across nearly all major export categories, Sudan’s first-half exports in 2025 showed a decline compared to both 2022 and 2024. Agricultural exports dropped to approximately $297 million in 2025, down from $635 million in 2024 and $1.15 billion in 2022. Livestock exports fell to $204 million, from $323 million in 2024 and $383 million in 2022. Manufactured goods saw a modest increase, reaching $1.32 million in 2025, compared to $1.27 million in 2024, though still down from $4 million in 2022.
In contrast, mineral exports grew in 2025, totaling $843.4 million, up from $738.6 million in 2024, though still below the $1.36 billion recorded in 2022.
Steep decline in crop exports
Agricultural exports (H1 of 2022, 2024, 2025) in thousands of USD
Prior to the war, Sudan typically exported three high-value agricultural commodities: sesame, cotton, and groundnuts, worth approximately $300 million in the first half of each year. Since the war, these exports have sharply declined, particularly cotton and groundnuts. Cotton exports collapsed following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) takeover of Al-Jazirah State, plummeting from $301 million in H1 2022 to just $47.5 million in 2024, and further down to $33.2 million in 2025.
Groundnuts exports suffered an even more dramatic fall in 2025, dropping to a mere $1.6 million in the first half of the year. In contrast, they stood at $295 million in 2022 and $165 million in 2024. This means that groundnuts exports in 2025 amounted to just 0.0099 per cent of their 2024 value and 0.0055 per cent of their 2022 level, a virtual collapse of the sector.
Monthly Groundnuts Exports (2022, 2024, 2025), in thousands of USD
Historically, groundnuts exports peak early in the year and taper off in the second half. In 2024, exports were already lower than in 2022 during the peak season. By contrast, 2025 exports were weak from the outset, and dropped to zero in May and June, coinciding with the RSF’s takeover of An-Nuhud, a key groundnut-producing region.
A source in the Al-Obeid Crops Market told Atar that transporting groundnuts from An-Nuhud to Al-Obeid now involves high risks and significant losses, primarily due to the steep tolls imposed by RSF checkpoints. Transporters reportedly pay between 30 and 40 million Sudanese pounds per truck.
Atar provides more detailed coverage of this matter in a separate feature in this issue, titled: From harvest hub to besieged city: Al-Obeid’s market under strain
Decline in livestock exports
Livestock exports (H1 of 2022, 2024, 2025), in thousands of USD
Sudan’s livestock exports also contracted across all categories: live animals and processed meat alike. Sheep exports fell to $165 million in H1 2025, down from $238 million in 2024, and below the $187 million recorded in 2022. Camel exports dropped to $30 million, less than half the $68 million exported in the same period of 2024.
Processed meat exports continued their free fall, totaling just $16.000 in H1 2025 compared to $67 million in 2022. There is some optimism that meat exports may rebound in the second half of the year, following the August reopening of the Al-Kadaro Food Manufacturing Company slaughterhouse, which is affiliated with Sudan’s Defence Industries System (MASAD).
Modest rise in gold exports
Mineral exports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025) — in thousands of USD
Gold exports rose slightly in the first half of 2025, increasing from approximately $733 million in H1 2024 to around $840 million. However, this remains significantly below pre-war levels. Sudan’s gold exports totaled $1.31 billion during the same period in 2022.
Meanwhile, scrap metal exports continued their downward trajectory, reaching just $3.4 million in H1 2025, compared to $4.9 million in 2024 and $20.4 million in 2022.
Gold export values (2022, 2024, 2025), in thousands of USD
A notable drop occurred in June 2025, when gold exports fell to $75.9 million, down from $143 million in May, nearly a 50 per cent decline. Analysts attribute this to the onset of the summer season during which artisanal mining activity typically slows. However, this seasonal dip was not observed in 2024, although it was in 2022.
In August 2025, the Sudanese government announced the formation of an Economic Emergency Committee chaired by the Prime Minister. In its inaugural meeting, the committee introduced a set of sweeping measures, including, assigning exclusive rights to purchase and market gold to the CBOS, and enacting controls to curb gold smuggling and ensure quality assurance.
Following these decisions, on September 14, the Central Bank issued a directive restricting the purchase of artisanal gold (locally mined, unrefined gold) to the Bank alone, and prohibiting private individuals or companies from exporting it. The Bank will handle gold procurement through the Sudan Gold Refinery Company.
Prior to this, in June 2025, the Bank had already banned the importation of gold refining equipment by any entity other than itself.
Rising imports of consumer goods amid continued decline in production inputs
Imports overview (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025) in thousands of USD
Sudan underwent profound economic and social shifts during the oil export boom of the 2000s. The resulting improvement in living standards spurred changes in consumption patterns, reflected in a surge in imports as purchasing power grew.
The war, however, reversed this pattern: imports plummeted, including critical production inputs like wheat, tobacco, fertilizers, and pesticides, signaling a deep erosion of domestic productive capacity. Imports of consumer goods also declined, further underscoring the collapse in household purchasing power.
In H1 2025, however, total imports began rising again, in many categories nearly doubling compared to the previous year. Notably, this increase was concentrated in consumer goods while imports of production-related items remained subdued.
Across all import categories, 2025 saw year-on-year increases, except for one key category: raw materials, which includes petroleum products, plastic and rubber raw materials, lubricants, seeds, and packaging materials.
In 2022, raw materials represented Sudan’s second-largest import category, buoyed by high imports of petroleum products — especially gasoline and diesel. In 2025, however, the value of this category declined, driven by a sharp fall in fuel imports.
Foodstuffs imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
More granular data shows that Sudan’s foodstuffs imports increased across nearly all categories in H1 2025, compared to H1 2024, with the sole exception of sugar. Wheat imports rose slightly, from $129.6 million in 2024 to $145.01 million in 2025. However, wheat flour imports saw a steeper increase from $114 million in 2024 to $142.4 million in 2025.
This pattern indicates an ongoing domestic milling deficit, a trend that emerged post-war due to the shutdown of mills, most of which were located in Bahri, Khartoum State. Recently, two mills, Sayga and Rotana, resumed operations, partially addressing this gap.
Tobacco and beverage imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
A pattern similar to wheat and flour has emerged with tobacco and cigarettes. Despite a minor decline in cigarette imports and a slight rise in raw tobacco imports, the overall shift favors finished products over raw materials. Cigarette imports fell to $10.5 million in H1 2025, down from $12.4 million in 2024 but still significantly above the $285.000 recorded in 2022. Raw tobacco imports rose to $2.3 million in 2025, up from $1.7 million in 2024, though still far below the $16.4 million recorded in 2022.
Soft drinks’ imports also declined modestly to $10.2 million in H1 2025, from $11.08 million in 2024 but both are up dramatically from $815.000 in 2022.
Raw material imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
The most significant drop in raw material imports was seen in fuel products: Diesel (Jazolin) imports plunged to $92.1 million in H1 2025, down from $421.1 million in 2024, just 21 per cent of the previous year’s figure, despite diesel’s critical role in agriculture. Butagas imports also fell sharply, from $66.5 million in 2024 to $24.9 million in 2025.
Conversely, imports of other raw materials increased: Lubricant oils rose to $46.4 million (up from $31.3 million). Crude rubber imports rose to $23.6 million, up from $11.8 million.
Chemical imports — (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
In the first half of 2025, Sudan’s chemical imports increased compared to the same period in 2024, although they remain below pre-war levels.
The most significant increase came in Medicines, which reached $213.2 million, up from $119.1 million in 2024. In comparison, Medicines imports in H1 2022 stood at $252.8 million. In September, the Minister of Health praised the performance of the National Medicines and Poisons Board (NMPB), stating that its efforts helped achieve “medication availability between $227 million and $264 million” as part of its 2025 plan.
Imports of fertilizers, though slightly improved, remained severely depressed, rising to $7.7 million in 2025 from $4.7 million in 2024, compared to $94.8 million in 2022. This means that current fertilizer imports stand at just 8 per cent of their pre-war level. Similarly, insecticides imports rose modestly to $17.7 million, after sitting at $12.07 million in 2024 and $34.7 million in 2022.
Machinery and Equipment's’ imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
Imports of electrical appliances in H1 2025 reached $162.6 million, exceeding both the $55.2 million recorded in 2024 and the $100.1 million in 2022, surpassing pre-war levels.
In contrast, non-electrical appliances imports remained low, even though this category had been Sudan’s largest machinery import in H1 2022. Overall, machinery imports increased over 2024 levels but remained below their 2022 benchmarks.
Transport equipment imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025) in thousands of USD
Sudan’s imports of trucks and lorries more than doubled compared to pre-war levels, rising to $100.1 million in H1 2025, up from $35.2 million in 2024 and $55.3 million in 2022.
Imports of passenger cars also rose significantly, climbing from $13.4 million in 2024 to $38.4 million in 2025, approximately 70 per cent of pre-war values.
Similarly, imports of tires and tubes increased to $55.9 million in 2025, up from $36.02 million in 2024, nearly matching the 2022 total.
Manufactured goods imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
Sudan’s imports of cement and stone-based products more than tripled over three years: from $35.03 million in 2022 to $77.2 million in 2024 and reaching $109.4 million in 2025.
Imports of iron and steel also grew, rising from $78.7 million in 2024 to $134.6 million in 2025. However, these still trail the $163.5 million recorded in 2022.
Other manufactured goods imports also increased from 2024 levels but remained below pre-war volumes. Notably, imports of jute and sacks stayed at zero.
Textile imports (H1 of 2022, 2024, and 2025), in thousands of USD
Sudan’s textile imports increased in H1 2025 compared to 2024, but in most categories still lag behind their 2022 levels, with one exception: the “special woven fabrics” category, which rose to $69.9 million in 2025, up from $29.5 million in 2024 and $18.9 million in 2022.
Where does Sudan trade? Export destinations and import sources
Sudan’s export destinations (H1 2025)
Sudan’s export destinations (2024)
The United Arab Emirates maintained its position as Sudan’s top export destination, receiving $791.5 million in goods, nearly all of it in gold, valued at $750.8 million. Next was Saudi Arabia, with imports from Sudan totaling $159.1 million, including $139.2 million in live animals. Egypt ranked third, importing $146.7 million, comprised of $52.6 million in sesame, $45.4 million in gold, and $32.2 million in live animals. Sudan exported $49.3 million to Qatar, mainly $28.2 million in live animals and $17.9 million in gold.
China, once a major export destination, slipped considerably, receiving just $29.3 million, mostly in sesame ($22.4 million).
Sudan’s import sources (H1 2025)
Sudan’s import sources (2024)
On the import side, China was Sudan’s largest supplier in H1 2025, with total imports reaching $656.5 million, made up of $212.08 million in machinery and equipment, $157.03 million in manufactured goods, and $114.9 million in transport equipment. All of these categories saw growth in 2025.
Egypt followed with $470.7 million in exports to Sudan, including: $136.8 million in wheat and wheat flour (mostly flour, as per the report’s assumption), $90.8 million in other food items, and $103.6 million in manufactured goods
India exported $303.6 million to Sudan, including: $101.6 million in chemicals, and $150.6 million in other food items
The UAE, which had been Sudan’s top supplier in previous years, dropped to fourth place, with $294.1 million in exports, including $217.6 million in petroleum products. This decline likely stems from Sudan’s reduced fuel imports, particularly diesel.
