Egypt's non-petroleum imports down $9B in 7 months

CAIRO - 21 September 2017: Egypt’s non-petroleum imports shaved off 23 percent in the first seven months of 2017 to stand at $30.3 billion against $39.4 billion in the corresponding period last year, the General Organization for Import and Export Control (GOEIC) said.

In a report a copy of which MENA obtained, the GOEIC said Egypt's imports of ready-made clothes almost halved in the first seven months of 2017, standing at $221 million.

The country’s imports of leather products also slumped 43.8 percent this year, recording $80 million, compared to $143 million last year, read the report.

Egypt’s imports of food, electronics and furniture fell 30.4 percent, 30.2 percent and 28.8 percent, respectively, in the period from January to July this year, registering $3 billion, $7.9 billion and $802 million respectively, according to the figures disclosed by the report.

The GOEIC report further indicated that there is a 6.3 percent drop in pharmaceutical imports in the first seven months of 2017, putting them at $1.6 billion against $1.7 billion during the same period last year.