Qatar's Non-Oil Exports Hit QR 11.5 Billion in H1 of 2018

Doha, August 12 (QNA) - The value of Qatar's non-oil exports in the first half of 2018 reached QR 11.5 billion compared to the first half of 2017 which amounted to QR 8.6 billion, registering an increase of 33.7 percent, according to the monthly report of Qatar Chamber on the foreign trade of the private sector. The total value of non-oil exports for last June reached QR 1655 million compared to QR 794 million in June 2017, recording an increase of 108 percent, the report shows. According to the monthly report of the Qatar Chamber on Foreign Trade of the private sector, this large difference in the value of exports is due to the repercussions that occurred in the first week of June 2017, which marked the beginning of the unjust siege on Qatar, where exports stopped to the siege countries and there was a decline in the total volume Exports during that month. But quickly compensated for by alternative export destinations that the Qatari private sector has successfully launched in many countries around the world. The Chamber, in its report which was prepared based on certificates of origin issued by the Chambers Research & Studies Department and Member Affairs Department, pointed out about 2599 certificates of origin were issued in June 2018, including 2382 general model certificates, 77 unified GCC certificates, two certificates of unified certificates of GCC countries, 116 common Arab certificates of origin, and 22 certificates of origin for preferences. Commenting on the report, Qatar Chamber Director General Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi said that the growth of non-oil exports during the first half of this year compared to the first half of the previous year by up to 34 percent confirms that the Qatari private sector did not affected by the blockade, but has achieved growth in exports during the siege compared to the pre-siege period. He pointed out that after one year of the unjust siege imposed on the state, the monthly data and statistics of our exports, which indicate the growing growth, confirm that the exports did not affected by this blockade. Al Sharqi pointed to the expansion of the list of markets receiving non-oil exports in terms of number and volume of their imports, which is another proof of the quality of the products that constitute the strength of these exports. June's statistics shows that Qatar's exports reached to 56 destinations including 10 Arab and GCC countries, 12 European countries including Turkey, 14 Asian countries (excluding Arab countries), 18 African countries (excluding Arab countries), 2 countries of North and South Americas. The comparison of June to May 2018 shows a decrease in the number of countries that received non-oil exports during the month of June by two countries. On the cluster and group level, at the level of blocs and groups, the number of Arab countries including the GCC countries has decreased from 14 countries in May to 10 in June ,while the number of countries in the African Group excluding Arab countries increased from 14 in May to 18 in June , and the number of Asian countries excluding the Arab countries dropped from 15 in May to 14 in June, while the number of European countries groups remain as it is (12) in May and (12) in June, as well as the North America and South America groups remained the same as each country in May and June. (QNA)