Qatar Foreign Merchandise Trade Surplus Reaches QR 12.5 billion in June 2017

Doha, July 30 (QNA) - The Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports, and imports for June 2017 where the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 12.5 billion almost, registering an increase of about QR 4.9 billion or 63.6 percent compared to June 2016, and increased by nearly QR 1.7 billion or 15.3 percent compared to May 2017. On other hand, the imports of goods in June 2017 amounted to around QR 5.9 billion, showing decrease of 40.0 percent over June 2016. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports decrease by 37.9 percent. The year on year (June 2017 to June 2016) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching 11.9 billion approximately in June 2017, registering an increase of 15.8 percent , while decrease was shown in petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 2.4 billion nearly, decreased by 22.4 percent , and decrease in the petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR 1.0 billion, increased by 2.0 percent. In June 2017, South Korea was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar's exports with close to QR 3.5 billion, a share of 19.3 percent of total exports, followed by Japan with almost QR 3.1 billion and a share of 16.9 percent, India with about QR 2.1 billion, a share of 11.3 percent. During June 2017, the group of "motor cars and other passenger vehicles", was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.3 billion, showing a decrease of 40.4 percent compared to June 2016. In second place was "parts of aircraft and helicopters etc." with QR 0.3 billion, showing an decrease by 4.5 percent, and in third place was "electrical apparatus for line telephony/telegraphy, telephone sets etc.; parts thereof", with QR 0.2 billion, decrease of 29.8 percent. In June 2017, the United States was the leading country of origin of Qatar's imports with about QR 0.6 billion, a share of 10.6 percent of the imports, followed by China with QR 0.6 billion almost, a share of 10.0 percent, and United Arab Emirates with QR 0.5 billion, a share of 8.4 percent. (QNA)