Amman, April 26 (Petra) -- Foreign trade data on national export performance during the first two months of the year indicated relative stability in shipments to free trade area partners, alongside a marked expansion in exports to European Union markets.

Figures released Sunday by the Department of Statistics showed that national exports to European Union countries rose by 72.3 percent to JD112 million, compared with JD65 million in the corresponding period last year.

The increase was primarily driven by a sharp rise in exports to the Netherlands, which surged by 314.3 percent to reach JD29 million.

Exports to countries within the free trade area remained broadly stable at JD533 million, compared with JD536 million in the same period last year.

The data indicated that export performance was influenced by fluctuations in global demand and uneven economic recovery across key markets. Exports to Syria increased by 41.7 percent to JD51 million, while shipments to Saudi Arabia declined by 6.9 percent to JD135 million, and to Iraq fell by 17.7 percent to JD116 million.

Meanwhile, exports to non-Arab Asian countries recorded growth of 8.8 percent, reaching JD260 million compared with JD239 million a year earlier. Exports to China rose by 2.4 percent to JD43 million.

Exports to other economic blocs increased by 25.8 percent to JD117 million, up from JD93 million in the same period last year. Notably, exports to Switzerland surged by 151.7 percent to JD73 million.

In contrast, exports to countries under the North American Free Trade Agreement declined by 13.2 percent to JD328 million, compared with JD378 million a year earlier. Exports to the United States specifically fell by 14 percent to JD314 million.

//Petra// AJ