Manufacturing’s contribution to rise
Oman’s manufacturing sector will be able to contribute 15 per cent of the country’s GDP by 2020, Minister of Commerce and Industry Maqbool bin Ali Sultan has said.

He gave the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the GDP as 5.4 per cent in 2000, 8.3 per cent in 2001 and 7.7 per cent in 2002.
 
Cement producers stop exports
A recent decision by UAE cement manufacturers to indefinitely stop exports is expected to bring much-needed stability to the local market.
 Naser Al Khamis, general manager of Fujairah Cement Company, was quoted as saying in the Dubai press that exports ranged from 800,000 tonnes to a million tonnes in situations when the local market was normal, but that there were reduced exports from January of this year when demand began going up. He added that exports had declined to a “minimal” level lately.  He estimated total production of cement in the UAE at around 11 million tonnes annually

Gulf Pack, Gulf Print expect big turnout
The organisers of Gulf Pack and Gulf Print 2004 have said more than 270 companies will take part in the twin shows at Dubai Airport Expo from September 19 to 22.
Fairs & Exhibitions said some of the world’s largest packaging and printing companies including HP, Heidelberg, Creo, Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc would take part.
The twin events will consist of a trade exhibition, workshops, seminars and the first ever graphic design and packaging design student awards.

China is top exporter to UAE
China has overtaken the US and Japan to become the top exporter to the UAE. It captured 11.3 per cent of the UAE’s imports of about $43.8 billion last year compared with 8.2 per cent in 2002.
IMF figures showed Japan’s share fell to 7.3 per cent last year from 8.7 per cent in 2002 to become the third biggest exporter. The US ranked second, its share recovering to about 7.9 per cent last year from 7.7 per cent in 2002.
Britain’s share plunged to 5.8 per cent from 7.4 per cent in 2002. India’s share  dived to 4.7 per cent from 6.7 per cent.