RAMALLAH, April 24, 2018 (WAFA) - Exports increased in February by 15.6%  and imports decreased by 6.6% compared to January bringing down the trade deficit for the same period by 11.4%, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said on Tuesday.

Exports also increased by 21% compared to February 2017 and reached $95.8 million.

Exports to Israel increased in February by 4.5% compared to January and it represented 79.5% of total exports in February.

At the same time, exports to other countries  increased by 96% during the same period compared to January. The increase was mainly due to increase of Palestinian exports of dates and iron scrap.

Imports, meanwhile, decreased in February by 6.6% compared to January, while it increased by 5.4% compared to February 2017 and reached $435.4 million.

Imports from Israel decreased by 3.2% in February compared to January and it represented 58.2% of total imports in February.

At the same time, imports from other countries decreased by 11% compared to January.

The trade balance, which represents the difference between exports and imports, showed a decrease in trade deficit by 11.4% in February compared to January, while it increased by 1.7% compared to February 2017 and reached $339.6 million.

M.K.