Figures released by the Ministry of Industry show that Lebanese industrial exports totaled $1.2 billion in the first four months of 2013, constituting an increase of 12.9% from $1 billion in the same period last year.
Industrial exports reached $304.3m in April 2013, down by 4.6% from $318.9m in March 2013 but up by 36.6% from $222.7m in April 2012. Mineral products accounted for $238.8m, or 20.5% of total industrial exports in the first four months of the year, followed by base metals & articles of base metals with $208.1m (17.9%), and machinery & mechanical appliances with $176.6m (15.2%).
Arab countries accounted for 62.8% of total industrial exports in April, followed by Asian countries with 12.9%, European economies with 10.7% and African countries with 10.2%. In parallel, industrial imports reached $109.1m in the first four months of the year, up 22.1% from $89.4m in the same period of 2012. Italy was the main source of such imports and accounted for 20% of the total.
It was followed by Germany with 16.2% and China with 14.2%. Further, imports of industrial equipment and machinery reached $33.8m in April 2013, up by 44.3% from $23.4m in the same month last year. Germany was the main source of imports of industrial equipment and accounted for 25.7% of total imports during the covered month, followed by Italy with 20.1% and China with 9.8%.
ifpinfo
19 July
