Exports from the industrial sector rose from 22,076.3 million dinars in the first nine months of 2017 to 26,652.5 million dinars in the same period of 2018, posting an increase of 20.7%.
According to the economic bulletin for the month of September 2018 published by the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII), the industrial sector imported for 34,257.9 MD during the first nine months of 2018, against 29,234.0 MD during the same period of 2017, up 17.2%.
The commercial balance of the industrial sector stands at -7,605.4 MD, against -7,157.7 MD during the first nine months of 2017, said the same source.
The rise recorded in exports is mainly due to the agri-food industries whose exports reached 2,864.6 MD, against 1,605.2 MD during the first nine months of 2017, i.e. an increase of 78.5%.
The exports of the building materials and glass and ceramic sector also grew from 359.3 MD to 466.1 MD in the first nine months of 2018 (+29.7%).
Similarly, exports of the mechanical and electrical industries sector increased by 14.7% from 11,405.6 MD to 13,079.2 MD during the first nine months of 2018.
Exports of the chemical industries sector went up 4.6%, (1,741.9 MD against 1,665.4 MD during the first nine months of 2017).
The sector of textile / clothing industries did the same with exports of the order of 5,355.7 MD against 4,508.2 MD during the first nine months of 2017, i.e. an increase of 18.8%.
The same goes for the leather and footwear industry, whose exports have increased by 23.0% to 1,148.8 MD against 933.6 MD in the first nine months of 2017.
Similarly, the exports of the sector of various industries grew by 23.8% with 1,996.2 MD against 1,599.0 MD during the first nine months of 2017.
Industrial imports increased for all sectors. These increases range from 2.9% for the agri-food industry and 25.3% for the various industries sector.
