Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell to their lowest point in years during March 2025, raising fresh concerns over the Kingdom’s oil-reliant economy and fiscal planning.
According to data published by the JODI database, Saudi crude exports dropped to 5.754 million barrels per day in March 2025—a 12% decline compared to February. This comes despite a slight increase in domestic oil production.
Analysts cite multiple reasons for this sharp drop: rising domestic energy consumption, expanded local refining capabilities, and an uptick in global oil supply from OPEC+ producers. These factors have collectively reduced Saudi Arabia’s oil export volume and led to a noticeable revenue decline in the first quarter of the year.
In response, the Saudi government announced a more cautious fiscal approach. Some large-scale development projects may be reassessed or postponed to align with the new budgetary reality.
Still, the Kingdom remains committed to its long-term Vision 2030, aiming to reduce its oil dependence, boost non-oil exports, and empower the private sector to diversify national income.
