Jordan Times
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Exports from Al Hassan
Industrial Estate rise to JD90m in three months
By Ruba Saqr
AMMAN — Irbid's Al Hassan Industrial Estate boosted exports by 10 per cent rise
in the first quarter of this year compared to last year's first three months —
with the lion's share of the upsurge recorded mainly by the plastics sector.
However, while the plastics sector marked an astounding surge of 517 per cent in
the first quarter of this year — ascending from $.04 million in exports last
year to $.22 million this year (for the first quarters) — the luggage and
leather industries made a sharp head-dive. Showing a 100 per cent slide from
last year's $.3 million in exports (first quarter), the luggage and leather
sector made zero exports during the first three months of this year.
In total, all seven sectors at the estate, which is a Qualified Industrial Zone,
registered an $8 million rise in exports to $90.2 million in 2004's first
quarter from last year's same period of $82.1 million, according to latest
figures from the estate.
With two more sectors descending in exports (the stones and marbles industries
and the agricultural products), four sectors in total accomplished a rise in
exports. The foodstuffs sector climbed from $.08 million last year to $.2
million this year, putting on a 100 per cent rise. At the same time, the
spinning and clothes sector, better known for textiles, marked an 11 per cent
rise from $76.2 million last year to $84.8 million this year.
The engineering industries' sector made a slight rise of three per cent from
$2.9 million last year to around $3.02 million for the same period this year.
On the other hand, the stones and marbles sector descended from $.28 million
last year to $.23 million this year, marking a 16 per cent drop.
Sliding a 14 per cent from last year's $2 million in exports, the agricultural
sector shipped out around $1.7 million this year.
The estate's report also shows that in March this year all sectors registered an
11 per cent rise in exports ($29.3 million) compared to the same period last
year ($26.5 million) — except for the luggage and leather sector (zero exports).
The agricultural sector reserved the driver's seat, rising a 111 per cent in
exports last month ($.5 million) in comparison to last March's $.23 million. The
plastics industry was this March's co-driver, making a 110 per cent rise from
last year's $.04 million to $.07 million this March.
Other sectors exports climbed variably (as shown in the chart). The foodstuff
products came third, rising a full 100 per cent in exports, the stone and
marbles made a 72 per cent ascent, while the engineering industries surged a 22
per cent as the textiles sector made a 10 per cent rise.