DOHA: Qatar’s foreign trade surplus widened to QR32.9bn ($9bn) in September 2013.
The figure shows an increase of QR0.3bn, up 0.9 percent compared to the same month in 2012, preliminary data from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics showed yesterday.
In September 2013, total exports of goods (both goods of domestic origin and re-exports) revenues amounted to QR41.8bn, and the value of imports stood at QR8.9bn. The value of total exports increased by 3 percent and the value of imports soared by 11.4 percent, compared to the corresponding period last year.
Total exports increase were mainly from petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc) that showed a rise of 4.2 percent compared to September 2012, followed by petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude), and petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude), which showed an increase of 3.3 and 1.2 percent, respectively.
The main destinations of exports were Japan with a share of 28 percent of total exports, South Korea, 18 percent, and India with a nine percent share of total exports.
Light vessels, fire floats, dredgers, floating docks and platforms, motor cars and other passenger vehicles and aircraft spare parts were the main imported commodity groups in September 2013.
South Korea was the leading source country with a share of 13 percent of total imports, followed by the USA and China with a share of 10 percent each.
The Peninsula
