AMMAN: Exports from the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) declined by 9 percent in the first five months of 2017, compared to the same period of 2016.
According to statistic, the chamber’s exports in the first five months of this year stood at JD1,552 billion, compared to JD1,708 billion in the same period of the last year.
The majority of industrial sectors’ exports decreased during the last five months of this year except exports of the foodstuff, agricultural produce, livestock, leather, sewing and construction industries, which increased by 4, 19 and 135 % respectively.
The figures showed that the chamber’s exports to the Arab Asian countries declined by 22% to JD724 million compared to JD922 million for the same period last year. Exports to Arab African countries also declined by 28 percent to JD93 million in the first five months of 2017, compared to JD129 million in the same period of last year.
Regarding exports to non-Arab Asian countries, they rose by 14 percent in the five months of 2017, while exports to non-Arab African countries rose by 10 percent and the European Union countries by 6 percent. Indian accounted for 12 percent of these exports standing at JD232 million followed by the United States with JD182 million.
The figures also revealed that exports in the same period of 2017 to Palestine increased by 90 %, Indonesia 78 %, china 484 % and Turkey 92%.
The Chamber’s exports to Saudi Arabia in the last five months of this year fell down by 15 percent to JD232 million compared to JD252 million for the same period last year.
As for Iraq, exports dropped by 29 percent in the last five months of this year, standing at JD156 million compared to JD220 million in the same period of 2016, due to the continued closure of the Trebil border crossing with the eastern neighbor.