By Cecilia Chiluba 
Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) has reported that the country recorded a trade surplus of K1.5 billion in May 2025 compared to the Surplus of K0.5 billion in April 2025.
The surplus was driven by increased exports of domestically produced goods, particularly intermediate and consumer goods.
ZamStats figures indicate that exports mainly comprising domestically produced goods, rose by 13.1 percent from K26.7 billion in April 2025 to K30.2 billion in May 2025.
This was mainly attributed to increases in export earnings from Intermediate goods by 12.1 percent, Consumer goods by 18.8 percent, Capital goods by 100.7 percent and Raw materials by 9.9 percent.
ZamStats Acting Statistician General Sheila Mudenda disclosed that imports rose by 9.4 percent from K26.2 billion in April 2025 to K28.7 billion in May 2025.
“This was mainly as a result of increases in import bills of Consumer goods by 15.4 percent, Capital goods by 16.0 percent and Intermediate goods by 4.8 percent,” Mrs. Mudenda stated.
She further disclosed that cumulative total trade for the period January to May 2025, rose by 26.7 percent to K273.6 billion from K215.9 billion, during the same period last year.
Mrs. Mudenda also reported that the total value of exports via all modes of transport for the period January to May 2025 stood at K137.1 billion, with road accounting for the highest value at K130.9 billion representing a 95.5 percent share.
Air transport was second with K3.7 billion at 2.7 percent and Rail transport was third with a value of K0.7 billion or 0.5 percent.
She further reported a 4.9% increase in Traditional Exports (TE’s) earnings from K19.7 billion in April 2025 to K20.6 billion in May 2025, while Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) earnings rose by 36.4 percent from K7.0 billion in April 2025 to K9.6 billion in May 2025.
“In terms of share in total exports, TEs accounted for 68.3 percent in May 2025, while in terms of share in total exports, NTEs accounted for 31.7 percent in May 2025,” she said.
Further, export earnings from refined copper increased by 4.7 percent from K19.6 billion in April 2025 to K20.6 billion in May 2025.
Refined Copper export volumes increased by 10.2 percent from 72.3 thousand metric tonnes in April 2025 to 79.7 thousand metric tonnes in May 2025.
“Further, copper prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) market for the corresponding months increased by 3.7 percent from US$9,192.1 per metric tonne in April 2025 to US$ 9,529.8 in May 2025,” she said.