DOHA: Qatar’s foreign trade surplus fell 4.2 percent from a year earlier to QR30.9bn in November 2013, figures from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) revealed yesterday.
In November 2013, the trade balance of goods, which represents the difference between exports and imports, showed a decrease of QR1.3bn compared to the trade balance of goods of November 2012. The total exports of goods, including exports of domestic origin and re-exports, amounted to QR 39.8bn, showing a drop of 0.9 percent compared to the total exports of goods of the corresponding month of 2012.
The major decrease in exports caused mainly because of the drop in petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons. The Ministry data shows that the major increase in exports was mainly from Petroleum Oils & Oils Obtained from Bituminous Minerals etc, excluding crude that showed a rise of 10.1 percent compared to November 2012. On the other hand, decreases occurred mainly in Petroleum Oils & Oils from Obtained bituminous minerals (crude), and Petroleum Gases and Other Gaseous Hydrocarbons (LNG, Condensates, Propane, Butane, etc), by 3.2 percent and 0.9 percent respectively.
The total imports of November 2013 amounted QR8.9bn, up 12.4 percent over the value recorded in the same month last year.
The main countries of exports destination for Qatar were Japan with a share of 29 percent of total exports, South Korea with 17 percent, and India with 9 percent of total exports.
Motor cars & other passenger vehicles, aircraft spare parts, and telephone sets and mobiles were the main imported commodity groups in November 2013. The US was the leading country of origin with a share of 11 percent of total imports, followed by China (9 percent), Germany and UAE (7 percent each).
Exports to South Korea, India and China declined on year-on-year. While exports to South Korea and India dropped by 6.4 percent each, export to Singapore declined by 2.6 in November 2013 compared to the same month in 2012. The imports from UAE declined by 5.1 percent during the period.
The Peninsula
