Abu Dhabi's non-oil merchandise trade grows to Dh13.5 Billion in March 2012, says SCAD

Abu Dhabi, July 5, 2012 (WAM) Non-oil merchandise trade through the ports of the emirate of Abu for the month of March 2012 reached 13.5 billion in March 2012, with imports amounting to Dh10.79 billion to account for 79.8 percent of the total, non-oil exports at Dh1.83 billion, 13.5 percent of the total and re-exports at Dh0.90 billion, 6.6 percent of the total, according to a recent report by the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). Non-oil merchandise trade: March 2012 Total non-oil merchandise trade increased by Dh1.09 billion (8.8 percent in March compared with February 2012, resulting from an increase of Dh1.41 billion (15.1 percent) in imports. Over the same period of time, re-exports retreated by Dh0.32 billion (14.6 percent), while non-oil exports remained largely unchanged. A year on year comparison (for March 2012 vs. March 2011) shows a growth of Dh2.63 billion (24.2 percent) in total non-oil merchandise trade, with imports rising by Dh1.82 billion (20.3 percent), non-oil exports by Dh0.96 billion (>100 percent), while the value of re-exports declined by Dh0.14 billion (13.6 percent) over the same period. The monthly report for March was issued by SCAD's to support decision makers and businesses with accurate and up-to-date statistics on the non-oil merchandise that entered or exited the territory of the emirate of Abu Dhabi and highlighted the relative importance of each individual component of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports. The movement of merchandise reported does not represent the whole of Abu Dhabi emirate's foreign trade, a large proportion of which flows through the ports of other emirates. Non-oil merchandise trade: February to March 2012 Analysis of trade data for the period from February to March 2012 reveals a 15.1 percent rise in imports, due largely to an increase of Dh0.48 billion (22.4 percent) in "manufactured goods, classified chiefly by material" and Dh0.38 billion (7.6%) in "machinery and transport equipment". SCAD also reported a 14.6 percent drop in non-oil exports, due in large part to a decline of Dh0.40 billion (24.5 percent) in "chemicals and related products", and offset partially by an increase of Dh0.08 billion (>100%) in "machinery and transport equipment". According the report, there has been a fall of 0.6 percent in re-exports due to a decrease of Dh0.12 billion (55.9%) in "miscellaneous manufactured items", a decline that was offset by increases of Dh0.05 billion (8.6%) in the re-exports of "machinery and transport equipment" and Dh0.04 billion (90.6%) in "chemicals and related products". The data have been sourced from the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance - Customs Administration, and the scope of the statistics therefore is restricted to the trade flows recorded at ports under the jurisdiction of the Customs Administration. The report highlights the relative importance of each individual component of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports. The movement of merchandise reported in this statistic does not represent the whole of Abu Dhabi Emirate's foreign trade, a large proportion of which flows through the ports of other emirates. Non-oil merchandise trade: March 2012 As SCAD's report reveals, the value of non-oil merchandise trade in March 2012 totalled Dh13.52 billion, with imports amounting to Dh10.79 billion (79.8 percent of the total), non-oil exports at Dh1.83 billion (13.5 percent of the total) and re-exports at Dh0.90 billion (6.6 percent of the total). Total non-oil merchandise trade increased by Dh1.09 billion (8.8 percent in March compared with February 2012, resulting from an increase of Dh1.41 billion (15.1 percent) in imports. Over the same period of time, re-exports retreated by Dh0.32 billion (14.6 percent), while non-oil exports remained largely unchanged. A year on year comparison (for March 2012 vs. March 2011) shows a growth of Dh2.63 billion (24.2 percent) in total non-oil merchandise trade, with imports rising by Dh1.82 billion (20.3 percent), non-oil exports by Dh0.96 billion (>100 percent), while the value of re-exports declined by Dh0.14 billion (13.6 percent) over the same period. Non-oil merchandise trade: February to March 2012 Analysis of trade data for the period from February to March 2012 reveals a 15.1 percent rise in imports, due largely to an increase of Dh0.48 billion (22.4 percent) in "manufactured goods, classified chiefly by material" and Dh0.38 billion (7.6%) in "machinery and transport equipment". SCAD also reported a 14.6 percent drop in non-oil exports, due in large part to a decline of Dh0.40 billion (24.5 percent) in "chemicals and related products", and offset partially by an increase of Dh0.08 billion (>100%) in "machinery and transport equipment". According the report, there has been a fall of 0.6 percent in re-exports due to a decrease of Dh0.12 billion (55.9%) in "miscellaneous manufactured items", a decline that was offset by increases of Dh0.05 billion (8.6%) in the re-exports of "machinery and transport equipment" and Dh0.04 billion (90.6%) in "chemicals and related products". Non-oil merchandise trade in March 2011 compared with March 2012. A comparison of non-oil merchandise trade data for March 2012 with March 2011 indicates a rise of 20.3 percent in imports, due to increases of Dh0.87 billion (18.9 percent) in "machinery and transport equipment" and Dh0.64 billion (31.9 percent) in "manufactured goods, classified chiefly by material". Non-oil exports rose by over 100 percent, reflecting increases of Dh0.88 billion (>100 percent) in "chemicals and related products", and Dh0.14 billion (49.2 percent) in "manufactured goods, classified chiefly by material". Re-exports retreated by 13.6 percent. A breakdown of the decline shows a drop of Dh0.07 billion (9.6 percent) in the re-exports of "machinery and transport equipment" and a fall of Dh0.07 billion (44.1 percent) in "miscellaneous manufactured items". Top five trade partners in March 2012. Trade data for the top trading countries in terms of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports in March 2012 reveal that the top countries of origin for imports were USA (Dh1.75 billion), South Korea (Dh1.62 billion) and Saudi Arabia (Dh1.11 billion). These three countries accounted for 41.6 percent of Abu Dhabi's total imports in March 2012. China was the top destination of the Emirate's non-oil exports (Dh0.67 billion), followed by Saudi Arabia (Dh0.31 billion) and Singapore (Dh0.30 billion). The combined contribution of these three countries represented 69.3 percent of total non-oil exports. Bahrain topped the list of destinations for Abu Dhabi's re-exports, receiving merchandise worth (AED 0.25 billion), followed by Qatar (Dh0.15 billion) and Saudi Arabia (Dh0.13 billion), with re-exports to these top 3 partners making up 58.2 percent of total re-exports during March 2012. Historical series of monthly trade data - January 2010 to March 2012. SCAD further explained that the largest monthly figure for imports through the ports of Abu Dhabi over the period from January 2010 to March 2012 was Dh12.78 billion, recorded in October 2011, while the largest non-oil exports figure (Dh3.26 billion) and re-exports (Dh1.19 billion) were both recorded in August 2010. SCAD added that the goods covered in the report do not belong entirely to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi nor do they fully represent Abu Dhabi non-oil merchandise trade as some of these goods might belong to other Emirates. Furthermore, the report does not record Abu Dhabi trade through ports of the other Emirates. The data have been sourced from the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance - Customs Administration, and the scope of the statistics therefore is restricted to the trade flows recorded at ports under the jurisdiction of the Customs Administration. The report highlights the relative importance of each individual component of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports. – Emirates News Agency, WAM