Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) says the country recorded a trade surplus of K1.0 billion in December 2025, up from a surplus of K0.6 billion recorded in November 2025.
ZamStats Acting Statistician General, Shiela Mudenda, said exports—mainly comprising domestically produced goods—rose by 3.9 percent, from K28.1 billion in November 2025 to K29.2 billion in December 2025.
Mrs. Mudenda attributed the increase to higher export earnings from Intermediate goods, which rose by 3.4 percent, Raw materials by 15.8 percent, and Capital goods by 0.7 percent.
“Imports increased by 7.3 percent from K29.6 billion in November 2025 to K27.5 billion in December 2025,” she noted.
She explained that the increase was mainly driven by higher import bills for Capital goods, which rose by 20.1 percent, Intermediate goods by 8.5 percent, and Raw materials by 14.9 percent.
Mrs. Mudenda further revealed that Traditional Exports (TEs) earnings increased by 5.6 percent, from K19.1 billion in November 2025 to K20.2 billion in December 2025.
She said in terms of contribution to total exports, Traditional Exports accounted for 69.0 percent in December 2025.
“Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) earnings increased by 0.4 percent from K9.0 billion in November 2025 to K9.05 billion in December 2025. In terms of share in total exports, NTEs accounted for 31.0 percent in December 2025,” she said.
She also noted that export earnings from refined copper declined by 4.9 percent from K18.7 billion in November 2025 to K19.6 billion in December 2025.
Refined copper export volumes decreased by 4.5 percent, from 76.2 thousand metric tonnes in November 2025 to 72.8 thousand metric tonnes in December 2025.
“Further, copper prices on the LME market for the corresponding months increased by 9.3 percent from US$10,800.8 per Mt in November 2025 to US$11,803.8 per Mt in December 2025,” she said.
