ACI exports see 14.5% increase in Q1 2021

AMMAN — The value of exports by the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) in the first quarter of 2021 totalled JD1.165 billion compared with JD1.017 billion in the same period of 2020, marking an increase of 14.5 per cent, ACI Chairman Fathi Jaghbeer said on Tuesday.

The three-month figure was driven by higher exports of six sub-sectors, including the chemical and food industries, Jaghbeer noted as reported by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

He added that Jordanian exports to the US increased by 50.3 per cent during the January-March period of 2021 to JD205 million, compared with JD137 million in the same period of last year.

Jaghbeer noted that most of the Jordanian exports to the US market mainly included the mining and engineering industries, while textile and garment exports dropped.

The chairman noted that potash-and phosphate-based fertiliser exports to the US market stood at JD40 million, followed by jewellery at JD30 million, air-conditioning appliances at JD6 million, and aluminium products at JD4.2 million.

According to the chamber's statistics, the value of exports to Saudi Arabia in the three-month period rose 17.3 per cent to JD160 million from JD136 million recorded in the same period of 2020, while the chamber’s exports to India increased by 15.6 per cent to JD157 million against JD135 million for the same period last year.

In turn, exports to Iraq went down by 1.7 per cent to JD130 million compared with JD132 million for the same period last year, according to the figures.

In its sectorial distribution of the data, the ACI said that the exports were distributed as follows: Chemicals and cosmetics at JD274 million, medical and pharmaceutical supplies JD166 million, and the catering, food, agricultural and livestock industries at JD151 million,

The value of engineering, electrical and information technology industries stood at JD112 million, leather and textile JD110 million, packaging, paper, cardboard and office supplies JD57 million, plastic and rubber JD43 million, construction JD17 million and finally, wood and furniture industries JD4 million, the chamber added.

Established in 1962, the ACI has 8,600 industrial businesses employing about 159,000 people with a total capital of some JD5 billion.