Egypt’s trade deficit reached $2.41bn in December 2021, versus December 2020’s $3.08bn — a decrease of 21.6%.

The Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics issued on Tuesday its monthly Foreign Trade bulletin for December 2021.

The value of exports increased by 45.3%, reaching $4.32bn, compared to $2.97bn, due to an increase in the value of some commodities, such as ready-made clothes by 33.0%, plastics in their primary forms by 28.4%, flat products of iron or steel by 22.1%, and various pasta and food items by 18.6%. 

However, the value of certain exported commodities decreased, with fresh fruits falling in price 0.9%, fertilisers by 25.1%, furniture by 7.6%, and fresh oranges by 55%.

Additionally, the value of Imports increased by 11.3% in December 2021, reaching $6.73bn, compared to December 2020’s $6.05bn, due to petroleum products increasing by 71.2%, raw materials of iron or steel by 93.9%, passenger cars by 50.8%, and plastics in their primary forms by 70.0%.

Conversely, the value of some imported commodities decreased, with wheat falling by 7.8%, corn by 8.6%, crude oil by 63.8%, and wood and its products by 11.3%.