Doha: Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR21.2bn in October 2021, showing an increase of about QR14.1bn or 200.6 percent compared to October 2020. When compared month-on-month (M-o-M), the surplus increased by nearly QR2.1bn or 10.9 percent compared to September 2021, according to preliminary figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).
In October 2021, the total exports of goods including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports amounted to around QR30.1bn, showing an increase of 96.4 percent compared to October 2020, and an increase of 7.9 percent compared to September 2021.
On other hand, the imports of goods in October 2021 amounted to around QR8.9bn, showing an increase of 7.6 percent compared to October 2020, and an increase of 1.3 percent compared to September 2021.
The year on year (October 2021 vs. October 2020) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, and others) reaching QR18.8bn approximately in October 2021, increased by 93.6 percent, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR4.0bn nearly, increased by 93.2 percent, and increase in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR3.1bn by 509.5 percent.
In October 2021, India was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR4.1bn, a share of 13.6 percent of total exports, followed by South Korea with almost QR4.0bn and a share of 13.2 percent, and Japan with about QR3.6bn, a share of 12.0 percent.
During October 2021, the group of “Turbojets, Turbopropellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR700m, showing an increase of 16.9 percent. In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles For The Transport of Persons” with QR300m, showing an increase of 57.3 percent, and in third place was “Parts of Balloons and others.; Parts of Aircraft, Spacecraft and others” with QR270m, an increase of 7.9 percent.
In October 2021, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR1.5bn, a share of 17.4 percent of the imports, followed by the United States of America with QR1.0bn almost, a share of 11.0 percent, and the United Kingdom with QR700m, a share of 8.1 percent.
