(AFP Photo)
Egypt’s trade deficit reached EGP 17.79bn by the end of January 2013, compared to EGP 20.20bn during the same month in 2012, representing an 11.9% decrease. These numbers are according to monthly statistics released for the month of January 2013 by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).
CAPMAS stated in its report, regarding the size of Egypt’s commercial trade, that the country’s exports increased 15.2% reaching EGP 15.68bn by January 2013, compared to EGP 13.61bn for the same month of the previous year.
The rise can mostly be attributed to increases in the export of fresh oranges, crude oil, pastas, white peeled rice, ceramic tiles and health products, according to CAPMAS.
The report also stated that the number of Egypt’s imports decreased 1.0% totaling EGP 33.47bn by the end of January 2013 as opposed to EGP 33.81bn during the same month of the previous year. According to CAPMAS’s report this could be attributed to decreases in the price of natural resources used in the production of iron and steel, plastics, chemical products, organic food, wood products and cars.
