Jordan Times
Monday, November 6, 2006
Exports rise 11 per cent during first nine months of this year
AMMAN (JT) — National exports increased by 11 per
cent to JD2,128.5 million during the first nine months of 2006, according to a
report on foreign trade statistics which showed the exports at JD1,917.9 million
during the corresponding period of 2005.
When adding the value of reexports, the total value of exports rises by 18.3 per
cent to JD2,694.4 million compared with JD2,277.9 million in the first nine
months of 2005, the Department of Statistics indicated.
Jordan’s exports to countries of the Greater Arab Trade Zone constituted 40.6
cent, while exports to the European Union (EU) states and to North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries accounted for 3.3 per cent and 31.9 per cent
respectively of the total national exports in the first nine months of 2006.
Imports rose by 10.1 per cent to JD6,041.8 million in the first nine months of
2006 against JD5,488.3 million for the same period of 2005.
Purchases from the Greater Arab Trade Zone countries constituted 35.7 per cent
of the total imports, while imports from the EU countries, and the NAFTA states
accounted for 23.2 per cent and 5.3 per cent respectively.
As such, the trade deficit went up by 4.3 per cent to JD 3,347.4 million for the
first nine months of 2006 compared with JD3,210.4 million in the corresponding
period of 2005.
In spite of this increase, the imports coverage by the exports rose from 41.5
per cent in the first nine months of 2005 to 44.6 per cent for the same period
of this year.
Clothings constituted the highest percentage of the national exports as they
amounted to JD663.5 million or 31.2 per cent of the total exports, as compared
with 29.7 per cent for the same period of 2005.
Fertilisers ranked second at JD163.2 millions or 7.7 per cent of the national
exports in the first nine months of 2006. Pharmaceutical products came third,
totalling JD154.9 million or 7.3 per cent and then potash which amounted to
JD127.3 million and accounted for six per cent of the total national exports in
the first nine months of 2006.
According to the report, the US was the first importer of Jordanian products
with purchases amounting to JD673 millions or 31.6 per cent of the total
national exports. Clothing was the major exported item to the US totalling
JD622.1 million or 92.4 per cent of sales to the US.
Iraq ranked second by purchasing JD258 million worth of Jordanian products or
12.1 per cent. Baghdad’s main imports included oils, fats, cigarettes, soap,
detergents, aluminium and aluminium products.
India came in third place as its imports from Jordan, mainly phosphate, potash
and phosphoric acid, amounted to JD194.2 million or 9.1 per cent.
Saudi Arabia’s main imports from Jordan included pharmaceuticals and live sheep
for a total of JD167.6 million or 7.9 per cent of the total national exports.
Total exports to all these countries together constituted 60.7 per cent of the
total exports in the first nine months of 2006.
Crude oil, which amounted to JD1,079.5 million, topped the list of imports as it
constituted 17.9 per cent of the total.
Vehicles, motorcycles and their spare parts ranked second at JD556.2 million or
9.2 per cent, followed by machinery, mechanical equipment and appliances as well
as parts thereof totalling JD456.3 million or 7.6 per cent of the total imports.
Electrical appliances and their parts ranked fourth as they amounted to JD455.5
million or 7.5 per cent of the total imports in the same period.
Purchases from Saudi Arabia ranked first amounting to JD1,532.3 million or 25.4
per cent of the total imports. They covered mainly crude oil and byproducts
which accounted for JD1261.9 million, or 82.4 per cent of Saudir imports.
Imports from China reached JD601 million or 9.9 per cent of total imports.
Germany ranked third, with total imports at JD478.5 millions or 7.9 per cent,
mainly automobiles and their spare.
The US sold Jordan JD291.6 million worth of products or 4.8 per cent of total
imports.