RIYADH (Reuters) -- The annual decline in Saudi Arabia’s petrochemicals exports amid slowing foreign demand widened in July to a 27.8 percent drop from a 22.2 percent drop during the second quarter, official data showed on Tuesday.

Exports of petrochemicals made in Saudi Arabia amounted to 2.49 billion riyals ($664 million) in July, according to data published on the website of the Central Department of Statistics.
The department has previously reported that the value of these exports stood at 3.45 billion riyals in July, 2008.
For the second quarter of 2009, the value of petrochemical exports stood at 7.02 billion riyals, down from 9.02 billion riyals during the same period of 2008, the department said.
Petrochemicals and plastics produced by companies such as state-controlled Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) and Sipchem and account for about 54 percent of the overall value of the kingdom’s non-oil exports.