CEC total exports down 11% during 1st half of 2019

CAIRO - 27 August 2019: The Chemical and Fertilizers Export Council (CEC) said that the exports of the chemical sector declined in the first half of 2019 to bottom out at $2.419 billion compared with $2.707 billion in the same period last year.

Egypt's exports of plastic and rubber products hit a 3 percent increase during the first half of 2019 to reach $839.76 million compared with $817.24 million, CEC Chairman Khaled Abu El Makarem said Monday during the council's board meeting.

The exports of fertilizer products were also up by 1 percent registering $667.3 million compared with $658.09 million, the chairman added.

In addition, Egypt's exports of inks and paints also increased by 6 percent to reach $19.70 million compared with $18.61 million.

Exports of dry cells and batteries also witnessed a 28 percent increase, hitting $9.25 million compared with $7.25 million for the same period last year.

Moreover, Egypt's coal exports were also up by a whopping 164 percent to reach $28.49 million compared with $10.8 million, Makarem said.

He added that exports of glass products increased by 2 percent to reach $84.84 million compared with $80.3 million.

However, a number of exports were on a declining trend during the first half of 2019, including paper and cardboard products, which plunged by 11 percent registering $258.71 million compared with $291.69 million in 2018, Makarem noted.

Egypt's exports of inorganic chemicals also went down by about 15 percent to reach $218.4 million compared with $257.18 million in 2018, he added.

The detergents sector also shrank 32 percent to reach $110.96 million compared with $162.65 million; whereas the organic chemicals' exports witnessed remarkable 63 percent decline to record $88.06 million compared with $241.04 million.

Furthermore, Egypt's experts of adhesive materials decreased by 51 percent to reach $13.36 million compared with $27.51 in the same period last year.

The chemicals sector still top the list of the largest exporting sectors in spite of the recent decline, Makarem pointed out, attributing the down trend to delayed export support services.