According to the Lebanese Ministry of Industry, in May 2018, the value of total industrial exports witnessed an 8.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) increase to reach $222.8M.
Similarly, the value of total industrial exports by May 2018 stood at $1.79B up by 6.6% compared to the first five months of 2017.
Products of the chemical industries were the largest exported products, rising from $21.7M in May 2017 to $43.4M in May 2018. Prepared foodstuffs and tobacco and Machinery and electrical equipment followed with $38.9M and $37.6M in May 2018, down by 21.4% and 6.2%, respectively, when compared to May 2017.
In details, Products of the chemical industries were mainly exported to France (24%), UAE (12%) and Italy (10%). As for Prepared foodstuffs and tobacco, they were mainly shipped out to KSA, Qatar, and Bulgaria with respective shares of 17%, 8%, and 6%. The third largest industrial product, Machinery and electrical equipment, was exported to KSA (10%) , UAE (7%), and Iraq (8%).
The primary export market for the Lebanese industrial products in May was Saudi Arabia, which imported 9.7% of total export value, followed by UAE and France, with the respective shares of 9.3% and 7.3% of total exports.
Main Industrial Exports in May 2017 and 2018 (in $M)
Source: Ministry of Industry