Exporter Companies Sharply Dropped Since The 80’s, Benmeradi

The number of non hydrocarbons exporter companies has gone from 280 in the 1980’s down to 40 today, concluded Minister of Industry, SMEs and the Promotion of Investment, Mohamed Benmeradi.

“Unfortunately, there is constant drop in the number of companies interested in export activities,” Mr Benmeradi was quoted as saying by the local APS news agency, on Saturday.

Speaking at the first conference on the national trade, Mr Benmeradi said that the diversification of the national economy “has been on the heart of the preoccupations of the government,’ as the North African nation is looking ahead to the post hydrocarbons era. 

“I’m very concerned by the issue of non-hydrocarbons exports,” the minister stressed. He further deplored that the efforts the government has been making have only led to make of non hydrocarbons exports representing 3 percent of the hydrocarbons-dependent country’s exports revenue. 

Despite the $8.6 billion excess in terms of the trade balance in the first quarter of 2011, Mr Benmeradi said such a figure is considered as deficit, as the oil and gas exports represent 97 percent of the country’s revenues and 77 percent of tax revenues.