Around ten North American, European, and Arab states seized 94 percent of Egypt's ready-made clothes exports during the first half of 2016 with exports estimated at US$555.4 million. The latest statistics about exports of ready-made clothes sector released Monday stated that the total volume of Egyptian exports to those ten states declined by 16.5 % in January-June 2016 opposed to US$665 million a year earlier. Egyptian exports of ready-made clothes to Saudi Arabia reached US$10.5 million during the first six months of 2016 versus US$17.3 million at the same period of 2015, making a 39 percent drop. The report showed that Egypt's exports to Belgium decreased by 38 percent to US$10.1 million from US$16.2 million, additionally, state's exports to Italy declined by 36 percent during the first six months of 2016 from US$30.9 million to US$19.8 million. Egypt's ready-made clothes exports to U.S. also fell during the first half of 2016 by 19 percent to US$307 million versus US$377 million at the same period of 2015, the report noted. It stated that Egyptian clothes exports to Turkey hit US$66 million in January-June 2016 compared to US$60 million a year earlier, registering 10 percent drop. During the first half of 2016, Northern Ireland and UK imported Egyptian ready-made clothes estimated at US$51.1 million versus US$57.8 million, marking a 12 percent decline. Meanwhile, Egyptian exports of ready-made clothes to Netherland rose by 22 percent in January-June 2016 to US$7.1 million from US$5.9 million.
