Georgia Trade Hits $20.5bn in 9 Months, Exports Up 19.6%

Georgia's foreign trade turnover reached $20.53 billion in January to September 2026, up 9.2% on a year earlier, with exports rising 19.6% to $6.15 billion and imports up 5.3% to $14.38 billion, Azernews reported on 13 October 2026. The figures are preliminary and cover officially recorded trade. JAMnews repeated them in its regional digest for 12 to 16 October.

The trade deficit stood at $8.23 billion, or 40.1% of turnover. Exports grew nearly four times faster than imports in percentage terms, but imports are still more than twice as large.

What the third quarter added

CBJ reported that in the first half of 2026 exports rose 20% to $3.88 billion, imports rose 0.7% to $9.05 billion and turnover was $12.93 billion. Subtracting those figures gives about $2.27 billion of exports, $5.33 billion of imports and $7.60 billion of turnover for July to September, a CBJ calculation from two separate releases.

The shift is in imports. They were close to flat in the first half and are up 5.3% for nine months. On rounded figures, that implies third-quarter imports grew roughly 14% year on year, against export growth of roughly 19%. Both rates are CBJ estimates and are sensitive to rounding.

Where the export gain comes from

The reports do not break the nine-month totals down by product or partner. For the first half, CBJ reported that domestic exports jumped 64% to $2.85 billion, driven by copper ore, and that headline exports also include re-exports. A large share of the gain may therefore depend on metals prices and on re-export flows, which can reverse quickly.

The preliminary status of the data also matters. Preliminary trade figures can be revised when final numbers are released, and the 40.1% deficit share is a ratio of two rounded figures. Readers comparing Georgia with Azerbaijan or Armenia should also check whether partner statistics include re-exports and undeclared trade, which the headline totals here do not.

What to watch

• The full Geostat release with partner and product detail, which will show how far copper ore and re-exports explain the 19.6% rise.
• Whether import growth keeps accelerating in the fourth quarter as domestic demand stays strong, widening the deficit further.
• Revisions to the preliminary numbers when final data are published.

Sources: Azernews, 13 October 2026; JAMnews, 12 to 16 October 2026