Egypt’s non-oil exports saw a climb of 50 percent in May 2021, recording an increase of $765 million to total at $2.28 billion, compared to $1.5 billion during the same month last year.

Within the first 5 months of 2021, non-oil exports logged an increase of 19 percent with a climb of $1.9 billion to total at $12.3 billion, compared to about $10.37 billion in 2020, states Minister of Trade and Industry, Nevine Gamea.

The uphill trajectory was contributed to the government’s efforts to support production and export sectors, explained Gamea, which led to the continued rotation of the production wheel and the preservation of export markets, she added.

Egyptian imports also witnessed a slight increase during the first 5 months of 2021. Imports went up by 10 percent, adding $2.7 billion compared to 2020 to total at $29.16 billion.

Top 10 importers of Egyptian exports recorded a total of $16.68 billion worth of imports in the first 5 months of 2021, a whopping 63.8 percent of total import value, said General Organization for Export & Import Control (GOEIC) chairman Ismail Gaber.

These included the European Union, which imported Egyptian products at a value of $3.88 billion, the League of Arab States which imported at a value of $3.72 billion, and Africa (excluding Arab countries) with imports valued at $66 million.

Breaking that down, Gaber explains that, in terms of countries, China was the largest importer at a valued of $1.5 billion, then USA with $2.55 billion, Germany with $1.68 billion, and Russia with $1.32 billion.

During the first 5 months of 2021, 12 exported product industries saw significant increases.

The medical industries sector closed the 5M with a value of $280 million, jumping 55 percent, compared to $180 million during the same period last year.

Leather and leather product exports saw a climb of 54 percent to record at $35 million, compared to $23 million in 2020.

The engineering and electronic goods sector grew to about $1.18 billion, compared to $775 million during the same period last year, with an increase of 52 percent.

The furniture sector with a value of $104 million compared to $81 million during the same period last year, with an increase of 29 percent, and the ready-made garments sector with a value of $719 million, compared to $491 million during the same period last year, with an increase of 46 percent.