Mongolia’s foreign trade turnover totaled 57.8 trillion MNT in the first eight months of 2025, down 5.2 trillion MNT or 8.2 percent from the same period in 2024, according to the State Administration of Customs. Despite the decline, the country recorded a positive foreign trade balance, with exports exceeding imports by 5.9 trillion MNT.

Imports were valued at 26.1 trillion MNT, representing a decrease of 87.5 billion MNT or 0.3 percent year-on-year. Petroleum products remained the single largest import category, making up 18.3 percent of total imports, followed by passenger cars at 11 percent.

During the reporting period, Mongolia imported 73,633 passenger cars, a 10 percent decrease from last year. Gasoline imports reached 552,300 tons, down four percent. Wheat imports saw the steepest drop, plummeting 88.3 percent compared to 2024.

In contrast, imports of several food products rose. Egg imports increased by 55 percent to 75.8 million units, vegetable imports were up 9.4 percent, fruit and nut imports grew by 24.1 percent, and rice imports surged 27.9 percent.

Meanwhile, exports totaled 32.1 trillion MNT, with copper overtaking coal as Mongolia’s leading export. The country exported 1.45 million tons of copper ore and concentrate, generating 12 trillion MNT in revenue. This represented a 40 percent year-on-year increase.

Coal exports, long the backbone of the country’s foreign trade, fell during the period. A total of 49.4 million tons of hard coal was exported, earning 11.8 trillion MNT, a decline of eight percent compared to 2024.

Other key commodities showed mixed results. Iron ore exports rose by 16 percent, while gold exports plunged 32.3 percent. No washed goat cashmere was exported in the first eight months of 2025, compared to 4,450 tons in the same period last year.

The customs authority highlighted that while overall trade activity has slowed, the shift in export structure underscores Mongolia’s changing economic dynamics. Copper’s surge has reshaped the balance of the export sector, while fluctuations in food imports reflect domestic consumption patterns and supply needs. Officials added that the continued positive trade balance demonstrates resilience in the external sector, even as global commodity prices and demand remain volatile.