The Moroccan Exchange Office revealed that the annual trade deficit widened 18.4 percent to 162 billion dirhams ($17.8 billion) in the first six months of the current year.
According to the office, imports rose 8.9 percent compared to the previous year to 398 billion dirhams, outpacing exports, which reached 236 billion dirhams, a 3 percent increase. Energy imports fell 7.4 percent to 53 billion dirhams, while wheat imports fell 9 percent to 9 billion dirhams.
Remittances from Moroccans abroad, the main source of hard currency inflows, fell 2.6 percent to 55.8 billion dirhams. Tourism revenues rose 9.6 percent to 54 billion dirhams. Foreign direct investment reached 16.8 billion dirhams, a 59 percent increase.
Source (Al Arabiya.net, edited)
