CAIRO, March 20 (MENA) - Egypt's exports of jewellery and precious stones increased by 37% to record 339 million dollars in January, compared to 248 million dollars in January 2017. The Export Council for Building Materials (ECBM), in its monthly report, said that Egypt exported jewellery and precious stones to nearly 18 countries, including Tanzania and Bahrain for the first time. Egypt exported 64.3% of its jewellery and precious stones to the United Arab Emirates, the report said. It underlined that Egypt's exports to the UAE upped by 49% in January to register 218 million dollars, against 146 million dollars in January 2017. Egypt's exports to Switzerland increased by 3% in January to register 53 million dollars, against 52 million dollars in January 2017, according to the report. Egypt's exports of jewellery and precious stones to Turkey notably increased by 152% in January to register 23 million dollars, compared to nine million dollars, the report said. Egyptian exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to three million dollars in January, the report added. As for exports of marble and granite in January, they dropped by 7% from 217,884 tons, worth 14.755 million dollars in January 2017 to 157,586 tons, worth 13.789 million dollars, the report said. China is among the top importers of Egypt's marble and granite, followed by Libya, Saudi Arabia, Britain and Northern Ireland, the report said. For the first time, Egypt this year started exporting marble and granite to 12 countries; Sweden, Costa Rica, Mozambique, Switzerland, Hungary, Niger, Puerto Rico, Dominica, Bulgaria, Syria, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Trinidad and Tobago, it underlined.
