Amman chamber’s exports up by 9% in first third of 2018

AMMAN — Exports of the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) increased by some 9 per cent during the first third of 2018, thanks to the rise of exports of seven sectors, ACI data showed on Friday.

The chamber's exports during the January-April period of 2018 grew to JD1.336 billion, compared to JD1.226 billion for the same period in 2017, according to ACI statistical data, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The data showed an increase in the chamber's exports to the Iraqi market by 37.5 per cent during the first four months of 2018, hitting JD168 million compared to JD122 million for the same period last year.

Exports of the chamber to India rose by 11.5 per cent in the first third of 2018 to reach JD190 million compared to JD170 million for the same period of 2017.

Chamber's exports to the US also went up by 10.2 per cent to JD158 million in the first four months of 2018, compared to JD143 million for the same period of last year.

The exports of ACI to Palestine increased by 93.3 per cent, reaching some JD109 million compared to JD56 million for the same period last year.

The statistical data showed an increase in the chamber's exports during the first third of 2018 to many Arab and foreign countries including Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Sudan, Belgium, Australia, Spain and Oman, among others.

On the other hand, the chamber's exports to Saudi Arabia decreased by 5.1 per cent in the first third of 2018, down to JD158 million compared to JD167 million for the same period last year.

The chamber's exports also decreased in the January-April period of 2018 to several Arab and foreign countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, China, Algeria, Turkey, Malaysia, Yemen, Italy and Japan, among other countries.

Sector-wise, the chamber's exports were distributed to the mining industries with a total value of JD335 million, chemical and cosmetic products with JD211 million, medical supplies that amounted to JD165 million, and food, agriculture and livestock with JD145 million.

Exports of the leather and garment sectors amounted to JD138 million, while the engineering, electrical and ICT sectors hit JD118 million, and packaging, paper, and office supplies reached JD84 million.

The rest of the chamber's exports during the first third of 2018 were distributed to the sectors of construction industries with a value of JD67 million, plastic and rubber with JD65 million, and wood and furniture with JD7 million.