The Egyptian government is keen on boosting cooperation between Egypt and Sweden in food industries, engineering, as well as machinery and equipment manufacturing, Egypt's minister of industry and foreign trade said on Tuesday.

The size of trade exchange between Egypt and Sweden tripled between 2004 and 2012, Minister Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour said during his meeting with Sweden's ambassador to Egypt.

It jumped from 254.8 million Euros in 2004 to 774.4 million Euros in 2012, Abdel Nour stated.

Egypt's exports to Sweden declined to 30.2 million Euros in 2012 after they were 35.1 million Euros in 2011, the ministry of industry and trade said in a statement.

Egypt's main exports to the Swedish market include upholstery, fruits, nuts, inorganic chemicals, rugs, fuel and mineral oils, pearls, precious stones and metals, and furniture.

Sweden exports wood, coal, iron, steel, electronic equipment, plastics, and medicine to Egypt.

Sweden ranks 12 among European countries that have investments in Egypt.