Cairo – Mubasher: Egypt’s non-oil exports have registered a 16% year-on-year increase in the first four months of 2018,  trade and industry minister Tarek Kabil said.

The North African nation's non-oil exports amounted to $8.64 billion from January to April 2018, compared to $7.43 billion in the year-ago period, Kabil added.

The minister further noted that the Arab country's foreign trade volume jumped 12% to $29.35 billion in the first four months of this year, from $26.13 billion in the same four months a year ago.

Chemical industries and fertiliser sector surged 27.6%, reaching $1.66 billion from January to April, compared to $1.30 billion in the comparative period of 2017.

 Exports of handmade industries rose 20% to $72 billion in the first four months of 2018, versus $60 billion during the prior-year period, while readymade clothing exports grew 14.5%, recording $511 million from $447 million. 

Textile exports levelled up 8.3% to $295 million in the first four months of this year, from $273 million in the corresponding period a year before.