In September, Laos recorded a total foreign trade valuation of USD 1,064 million, marking a 12 percent decline from August, according to the Lao Trade Portal (LTP). This figure encompasses both exports and imports, excluding electricity.
Laos is facing its ninth consecutive month of trade deficit in 2024,
The LTP trade statistics reveal that both exports and imports decreased compared to August. Exports fell by 16 percent, from USD 541 million to USD 455 million, while imports declined by 9 percent, from USD 670 million to USD 609 million.
In September, key export products included gold (USD 49 million), electrical appliances (USD 48 million), rubber (USD 42 million), paper (USD 36 million), and potassium salt (USD 32 million). On the import side, major products included diesel fuel (USD 61 million), mechanical equipment (USD 48 million), land vehicles (USD 43 million), electrical appliances (USD 41 million), and steel (USD 36 million).
Australia, the United States, Thailand, Vietnam, and China were the primary destinations for Laos’s exports. Conversely, the top five sources of imports were Japan, the United States, Vietnam, China, and Thailand.
