Greek goods exports rise 16.5% in January-August; deficit at €21.18bn
Goods exports reached €37.1 billion in January-August. Excluding petroleum products, they rose 7.6%, while the corresponding deficit narrowed by 5.3%.
Greek goods exports reached €37.1 billion in January-August 2026, up 16.5% from the same period of 2025, according to Hellenic Statistical Authority figures released by the Foreign Ministry on 12 October.
Imports increased by 8.2%. Because they grew more slowly than exports, the overall merchandise-trade deficit narrowed by 3.8% to €21.18 billion.
Excluding petroleum products
Exports excluding petroleum products reached €26.4 billion, an annual increase of 7.6%. The corresponding trade deficit fell by 5.3%, or roughly €1 billion, from the first eight months of 2025.
The distinction matters because the total export change is influenced by the value of energy products. The smaller but positive non-petroleum increase indicates that the rise was not confined entirely to energy.
August alone
In August, exports increased by 26.7% year on year and by 12.5% when petroleum products are excluded. The overall monthly deficit rose by 3.6%, while the non-petroleum deficit fell by 6.6%.
What the figures do and do not show
The data concern trade in goods, not the country's full external balance, which includes services such as tourism and transport. A narrower deficit also does not mean Greece recorded a trade surplus: imports still exceeded exports by €21.18 billion over the eight-month period.
The assessment of the economy's outward orientation is the Foreign Ministry's. The quantitative figures are attributed to ELSTAT and will need to be compared with subsequent monthly releases to determine whether the trend persists.
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