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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Business
Asharq Al-Awsat

Egypt Sees Up to 29% Decrease in Trade Deficit

FILE PHOTO: Women wearing protective face masks walk at the underground Al Shohadaa "Martyrs" metro station while Egypt ramps up its efforts to slow down the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Cairo, Egypt November 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Egypt’s balance of trade deficit shrank by 28.8 percent year-on-year (YoY) to $2.9 billion in October from $4.1 billion in the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

The country's exports declined by 13.1% to $2.2 billion in October from $2.5 billion in the corresponding month in 2019.

The decline in exports was ascribed to a decrease in the value of exports of ready-made garments by 6.6 percent, petroleum products by 27.3 percent, crude petroleum by 34.3 percent, and fertilizers by 16.4 percent.

On the other hand, exports of pastries and food preparations rose by 2.1 percent, carpets and rugs by 3.5 percent, and furniture by 33.5 percent.

Also, imports in Egypt fell by 22.8 percent to $5.1 billion in the 10th month of 2020, compared to $6.6 billion in the same month a year earlier.

Imports of petroleum products retreated by 32.8 percent, crude petroleum by 20.7 percent, medicines and pharmaceuticals by 0.3 percent, and raw materials of iron and steel by 32 percent.

Meanwhile, imports of wheat increased by 27.1 percent, passenger cars by 6.2 percent, and copper and its products by 22.6 percent.

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