Earnings from merchandise exports increased to US dollars 892 million in May this year, recording growth rates of 52.0 per cent and 9.0 percent over May last year and April this year, with higher earnings from all major sectors. Cumulative export earnings from January to May 2021 amounted to US dollars 4,692 million, a 33.3 percent increase compared to the corresponding period of last year.
Earnings from the export of industrial goods registered a notable increase in May 2021 over May 2020. The month-on month increase in earnings from industrial exports in May 2021 was 6.2 per cent. However, the subsectors of printing industry products; gems, diamonds and jewellery; petroleum products; and leather, travel goods and footwear recorded declines over the same period. Earnings from the export of petroleum products declined in May 2021, on a month-on-month basis.