Jordan foreign trade up by 34.4%

Jordan's foreign trade rose by 34.4 per cent during the first 11 months of 2004 compared to the correspondent period of the previous year, according to the Industry and Trade Ministry monthly report, cited by Petra.

The report attributed the rise to increase in imports by 37.4 per cent and national exports 40.3 per cent, whereas re-exported materials dropped by 9 per cent.

The report showed that clothes exports went up by 47.8%, whereas cement exports dropped by 14.6%, porcelain industries by 48.1%, and carpets by 31%.

The United State topped importers of Jordanian products with 30.9% of total national exports followed by Iraq 15.6%, India 7.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% and Syria 4.1%. In the meantime, Jordan's imports of crude oil rose by 64.6 per cent.