ACI businesses see 10% exports bump in Q1 2023

AMMAN — Exports from factories and businesses registered with the Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) increased by 10 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, to reach JD1.814 billion, compared with JD1.646 billion in the same period of 2022.

With the exception of the plastic, rubber and furniture industries, which saw a decline in exports of between 4 and 6 per cent from January-March of this year, most industrial sectors saw increases in exports during the same period, ranging between 3 and 20 per cent, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Wednesday.

More than half of the chamber’s exports went to India, the US, Saudi Arabia and Iraq during the first three months of the year, reaching some JD993 million, the data revealed.

ACI exports to India dropped by 14 per cent during the first quarter of 2023, reaching JD321 million, compared with JD373 million during the same period last year.

The data also revealed that exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 12 per cent during the first quarter of 2023, reaching about JD203 million compared with JD181 million in the same period of 2022.

ACI exports to Iraq also rose during the reporting period to reach about JD189 million, compared with JD155 million in the same period in 2022, marking an increase of 21 per cent.

The chamber's exports to Syria recorded a 12 per cent increase during the January-March period of 2023, totalling JD29 million, compared with JD25 million last year. 

Exports to Palestine also increased by 57 per cent, reaching JD50 million during the reporting period, compared with JD31 million for the same period in 2022.

According to the geographical distribution of exports, the value of exports to Arab markets in the first three months of this year amounted to JD722 million, non-Arab Asian markets reached JD602 million, African countries totalled JD12 million, while exports to North American countries reached some JD296 million.

Meanwhile, the value of the chamber's exports to South American markets in the first quarter of 2023 stood at JD23 million, European Union (EU) countries at JD66 million, non-EU nations in Europe at JD33 million, and all other countries at JD59 million.

The mining industries contributed JD587 million to exports, followed by the chemical and cosmetics industries with JD337 million and the engineering, electrical and information technology industries with JD253 million.

The export value of the catering, food, agricultural and livestock industries reached JD207 million, followed by the therapeutic industries and medical supplies sector with JD147 million, the leather and textile industries with JD104 million, and the packaging, paper, cardboard and office supplies industries with JD77 million.

Exports from the plastic and rubber industries totalled JD65 million, and the construction industries reached JD32 million, while exports from the wood and furniture industries hit JD4 million.

The ACI was established in 1962, and now has 8,600 industrial members employing 159,000 people. The combined capital of ACI-registered businesses is approximately JD5 billion.