RABAT, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's trade deficit surged by 56.1 percent year on year to 214.76 billion dirhams (19.58 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months of this year, the country's foreign exchange regulator said Monday.
Morocco's exports reached 276.80 billion dirhams, up by 37 percent year on year, while the imports rose by 44.8 percent to reach 491.57 billion dirhams, the Exchange Control Office said in its periodical report.
It is worth noting that the imports of gas and oil exceeded 103.05 billion dirhams, significantly up from 45.16 billion dirhams in the first eight months of 2021.
Meanwhile, the foreign direct investment in Morocco reached 19.57 billion dirhams, up 67.9 percent year on year, while Moroccan direct investment abroad declined by 2.5 percent to reach 11.94 billion dirhams at the end of August.
Remittances from Moroccans abroad recorded 71.42 billion dirhams.
