Egypt’s exports of readymade garments rose 8% in H1 2017

CAIRO – 28July 2017: The Readymade Garments Export Council announced Thursday that its exports rose eight percent to $681.4 million in the first half of 2017, compared to $632.1 million in the year-ago period.

Exports to the United States increased five percent to $336 million, up from $320 million, while they registered a seven percent growth to the European Union to reach $218 million, compared to $203 million.

The council said that its exports to the Arab countries rose 70 percent to $42 million in the first six months of 2017, from $25 million in the same period last year.

Regarding the biggest importers for the sector in the first half, the U.S. acquired 49 percent of the sector’s exports at a value of $336 million, followed by Turkey and Spain by $60 million and $64 million respectively.

Egypt’s exports to Saudi Arabia surged 118 percent to $24 million in the first half of 2017 compared to $11 million in the first half of 2016.

Meanwhile, exports to Britain and North Ireland declined 13 percent to $46 million, down from $53 million in the first six months of 2016. Germany’s imports from the sector also went down 5.6 percent to record $29 million, from $31 million.