According to the Lebanese Ministry of Industry, , the total value of industrial exports during the first seven months of the year 2018 rose by 2.56% year-on-year (y-o-y) from $ 1.43B in July 2017 to $ 1.46B in July 2018.
In July 2018, the main exported products were “machinery and electrical equipment” with a total value of $36.4M down from $38.50M in July 2017. Syria was the top importer of this product, with an import value of $5.2M.
Exports of base metals and articles of base metal came in the second place with a total value of $35.9M, up from $26.95M in July 2017, noting that Turkey was the largest importer of this product, with an import value of $11.9M, followed by Republic of Korea and Spain.
Prepared foodstuffs and tobacco, grasped the 3rd place this year with a total value of $32.9M, down by an annual 3%. Saudi Arabia had the largest share of this export with $3.9M followed by Syria and Iraq.
Exports of “pearls or semi-precious stones, precious metals and articles thereof (excluding un-worked diamonds, silver and gold ingots) were also responsible for this year’s export value increase as they saw their value increase from $7.3M in July 2017 to $11.6M in July 2018. the main importing countries were the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
On the other hand ,the export Value of the products of the chemical industries had a significant drop by 50.9% from $ 50.14 M to reach $24.64 M in July 2018, noting that this category was in the first place in July last year.
Main Industrial Exports in July 2017 and 2018 (in $M)
Source: Ministry of Industry