Egyptian non-petroleum exports witnessed a 7.4 percent increase during 2016 to hit around US$19.1 billion opposed to US$17.8 billion in 2015. According to a report released by Egyptian Ready-made Garments Export Council (RMGEC) on exports of different sectors, around five industrial sectors -notably building materials- witnessed an increase in exports volume while exports of other six industrial sectors -notably handicrafts industries- declined in 2016. The total exports of building materials sector reached US$4.9 billion in 2016 compared to US$3.1 billion in 2015, making a 54.6 percent. Additionally, exports of chemical and fertilizers sector rose by 10 percent to US$3.3 billion opposed to US$3 billion. Egypt's furniture exports jumped by 5.7 percent in 2016 to US$369 million from US$349 million in 2015, the report showed, noting that exports of food industries sector recorded US$2.7 billion in 2016 versus US$2.6 million a year earlier, registering a 2.1 percent rise. Meanwhile, Egyptian exports of handicrafts decreased by 29.45 percent in 2016 to US$242 million from US$343 million in 2015. Similarly, leather exports dropped 23.1 percent to US$130 million as well as textiles sector whose exports sagged by 14.1 percent to US$766 million. The report showed that Egyptian exports of ready-made clothes edged lower by 10 percent to around US$1.25 billion in 2016 compared to US$1.4 billion in 2015.
