DOHA: The value of Qatar’s total exports of goods decreased 36 percent to QR25.5bn in April 2015 compared to the same month in 2014.
The preliminary figures released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) on Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade noted the country’s total exports of goods declined 4.8 percent in last month on month-on-month basis.
On the other hand, the imports of goods in April 2015 amounted to QR 10.6bn, showing an increase of 19.5 percent over April 2014. However, on a M-o-M the imports increased by 2.2 percent.
In April 2015, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 14.9bn, i.e. a decrease of QR 16.1bn or 51.8 percent compared to April 2014. However, the trade balance of goods decreased by QR 1.5bn or 9.2 percent compared to March 2015.
The year on year decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons reaching 15.7bn in April 2015, i.e. a decrease of 39.7 percent.
During April 2015, Motor cars & other passenger vehicles was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 1.2bn, showing an increase of 28.4 percent compared to April 2014. In second place was Parts of aircraft and helicopters etc. with QR 0.7bn, showing an increase of 5.0 percent, and in third place was Insulated wire, cable etc.; optical fiber cables with QR 0.4bn, increased by 252.0 percent.
In April 2015, United States of America was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with QR 1.3bn, a share of 12.4 percent of the imports, followed by United Arab Emirates with QR 0.9bn (8.8 percent), and China with QR 0.9bn (8.5 percent).
The Peninsula
