This performance is mainly due to a significant rise in imports, the Customs and Indirect Tax Administration (ADII) points out in its annual report.

Imports increased by 9.6 billion DH, i.e. 2% compared to 2018, while exports rose by 6.6 billion DH (+10.4 %), the source says.

In 2019, imports amounted to 491 billion dirhams, it adds, noting that this is mainly due to the increase in imports of capital goods (+5.5%), finished consumer goods (+4.3%) as well as semi-finished products (+4.5%).

The increase in imports has slowed significantly compared to 2018 when imports increased by 10% compared to 2017, as a result of of the drop in the prices of energy products by 7.2% and the decline in imports of raw products by 10%.

Regarding exports, they posted an increase of 2.4% to 282 billion DH, the source says, adding that the car industry leads exports in 2019, with a contribution of 27.3%, followed by agricultural and agri-food products with a share of 21.6%.