Saudi Chemical Exports Drop 30% to SAR 4.7bn in June

Saudi exports of chemical and related products fell to about SAR 4.7 billion in June 2026, a drop of roughly 30% compared with around SAR 6.7 billion in the same month a year earlier. The decline underscores growing pressure on the kingdom's industrial export performance.

On a monthly basis, chemical exports slipped by about SAR 844 million, or roughly 15%, compared with May 2026. Chemical and related products accounted for around 19.2% of total non-oil exports in June 2026, which stood at about SAR 24.59 billion including re-exports.

The trade balance in chemicals widened during the month, with chemical imports reaching about SAR 7.9 billion against exports of around SAR 4.73 billion. India was the single largest destination for Saudi chemical exports, receiving roughly SAR 1.25 billion, or about 26–27% of the total. The United States followed with about SAR 421 million, and the United Arab Emirates with around SAR 415 million.

The chemicals sector recorded one of the sharpest sectoral declines within a broader slowdown, as overall non-oil exports fell by roughly 9.7% to 11.4% year-on-year in June 2026.

Despite the weaker external demand, domestic output continued to grow. Saudi industrial production rose about 4.3% month-on-month in June 2026, with the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products up around 1.7%. The figures point to resilient local production even as global buying softened, a distinction that matters for the many residents and businesses tied to the kingdom's industrial economy.

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