Ammon News - The Kingdom’s trade balance deficit with Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) countries reached JD2.8 billion during the first 10 months of 2022, compared to about JD1.6 billion for the same period in 2021, the Department of Statistics (DoS) announced on Saturday.

According to the DoS foreign trade data, value of national exports to the GAFTA countries during January -October period 2022 increased by 19.6% to reach about JD2.225 billion, compared to JD1.861 billion during the same period in 2021.

Meanwhile, the value of the Kingdom's imports from the GAFTA countries rose by 44.8% to reach about JD5.002 billion to last October 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, which amounted to about JD3.454 billion, the DoS figures showed.

Among the GAFTA countries in which Jordan's trade balance achieved a surplus are Iraq, Syria, Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, and Sudan.

While Jordan's trade balance recorded a deficit with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

According to the DoS figures, Saudi Arabia topped the list of Jordan's exports to GAFTA countries in the first ten months of 2022, amounting to about JD699 million.

In addition, Saudi Arabia was the top exporter to Jordan, as the Kingdom’s imports from Saudi Arabia amounted to about JD2,487 billion and thus the trade balance deficit with Saudi Arabia reached about JD1.8 billion during the first 10 months of 2022.