Qatar Foreign Merchandise Trade Surplus was QR 13.1 billion

Doha, May 27 (QNA) - The Planning and Statistics Authority has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports, and imports for April 2019, it shows an decrease of about QR 1.7 billion or 11.3% compared to April 2018, and decreased by nearly QR 0.1 billion or 0.4% compared to March 2019. In April 2019, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 22.1 billion, showing a decrease of 7.8% compared to April 2018, and decreased by 2.8% compared to March 2019. On other hand, the imports of goods in April 2019 amounted to around QR 9.0 billion, showing a decrease of 2.3% over April 2018. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports decrease by 6.1%. In April 2019, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 13.1 billion almost, an decrease of about QR 1.7 billion or 11.3% compared to April 2018, And decreased by nearly QR 0.1 billion or 0.4% compared to March 2019. The year on year (April 2019 to April 2018) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching 13.9 billion approximately in April 2019, a decrease of 2.1%, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.8 billion nearly, decreased by 4.6%, and decrease in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR 1.3 billion, decreased by 40.7%. During April 2019, the group of "Parts Of Balloons Etc.; Parts Of Aircraft, Spacecraft Etc." was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.4 billion, showing an increase of 78.2% compared to April 2018. In second place was "Motor cars & other passenger vehicles" with QR 0.36 billion, showing a decreased by 40.2%, and in third place was " Turbojets, turbo propellers & other gas turbines; parts thereof " with QR 0.35 billion, increase of 96.6%. In April 2019, South Korea was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatars exports with close to QR 4.0 billion, a share of 18.1% of total exports, followed by Japan with almost QR 3.4 billion and a share of 15.6 %, India with about QR 2.7 billion, a share of 12.1%. In April 2019, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatars imports with about QR 1.9 billion, a share of 20.9% of the imports, followed by China with QR 1.0 billion almost, a share of 10.8%, and India with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 7.7%. (QNA)