The country’s energy bill during the January-November period of last year was 24.1 per cent higher than the amount registered during the same period in 2011.
According to the Department of Statistics (DoS) bulletin on foreign trade, the cost was JD4.41 billion, compared with JD3.55 billion.
The DoS bulletin issued on Monday showed that imports of crude oil accounted for around 42 per cent of the total imported energy products at a cost of JD1.85 billion.
Other costs included that of diesel which amounted to JD1,205 million, fuel oil at JD432 million, grease at JD257 million, natural gas at JD68 million and electric energy at JD84 million while the sum of JD509 million was paid to meet the cost of two other energy products, the DoS bulletin indicated.
Statistics also showed that the trade deficit rose at the end of November 2012 by 20.4 per cent to JD8,432 million compared with JD7,001 million which was the deficit figure recorded in the same period last year.
The deficit figure represents the difference between the country exports and its imports.
At the end of November last year, the country’s total exports recorded a drop by 1.7 per cent to JD5,085.8 million from JD5,175 million during the same period of 2011.
Imports rose by 11 per cent to JD13,517.4 million from JD12,175.9 million.
Subsequently, the total exports’ coverage percentage of imported goods was 37.6 per cent compared with 42.5 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year, a drop by 4.9 per cent.
There was an increase in exported garment sector products, vegetables and pharmaceuticals, but the country’s exports of crude potash, fertilisers and crude phosphate posted a drop.
Regarding the most important commercial partner, the country’s exports to the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) countries, including Saudi Arabia, recorded a noticeable increase.
Also, exports to North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) increased while goods sold to non-Arab Asian countries, including India, saw a drop. Also, exports to the European Union countries, including Italy, registered a drop.
