Doha: The foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR28.2bn in December 2022, an increase of about QR2.6bn or 10 percent compared to December 2021, and increase by nearly QR2bn or 7.6 percent compared to November 2022.
The data of the Planning and Statistics Authority showed that the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR38.3bn in December 2022, showing an increase of 7.6 percent compared to December 2021, and increase of 3.1percent compared to November 2022.
On other hand, the imports of goods in December 2022 amounted to around QR10.1bn, showing an increase of 1.4 percent compared to December 2021. and decrease of 7.7 percent compared to November 2022.
The year on year (December 2022 vs. December 2021) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR26.2bn (approximately) in December 2022, i.e. an increase of 12.9 percent, Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR5bn nearly, increase by 12.8 percent, and decrease in the Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR2.4bn an increase of 12.3 percent.
In December 2022, China was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatars exports with close to QR8.4bn, a share of 21.9 percent of total exports, followed by India with almost QR4.2bn and a share of 11 percent, South Korea with about QR3.9bn, a share of 10.2 percent.
The year on year (December 2022 vs. December 2021), the group of "Turbojets, Turbopropellers and Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof" was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR0.9bn, showing an increase of 3.5 percent. In second place was "Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for The Transport of Persons" with QR0.5bn, showing an increase of 8.4 percent and in third place was "Parts of Balloons Etc.; Parts of Aircraft, Spacecraft Etc." with QR0.3bn, decrease of 2 percent.
In December 2022, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatars imports with about QR2bn, a share of 19.7 percent of the imports, followed by China with QR1.4bn almost, a share of 14.3 percent, and Italy with QR0.9bn, a share of 9 percent.
