Qatar's Non-Oil Export Records 26.1% Increase in August 2018

Doha, October 13 (QNA) - Qatar's non-oil exports registered strong growth during August 2018 with a value of QR 2.264 billion, recording an increase of 26.1% during the same month from the previous year at QR 1.796 billion. The monthly report of the Qatar Chamber on foreign trade for the private sector, prepared by the Department of Research, Studies and Management of the Chamber's members from the certificates of origin, issued 2477 certificates of origin during last August, including 2173 general model certificates, 128 unified certificates for the GCC countries (industrial), one certificate for the GCC (livestock), 149 unified Arab certificates of origin and 26 certificates of origin for preferences. Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Director General of Qatar Chamber said that the record increase in non-oil exports last August and the increase of foreign markets received them affirmed that Qatari products are of high efficiency and quality. It also affirmed the variety of these products and increased their competitiveness in world markets, he noted. Sharqi expressed his hope to see more products covering other production sector, especially those that are related to achieving the self-sufficiency and food security to Qatar. The report pointed to the trend of non-oil exports to 59 countries during August 2018 compared to (60) countries during July, with (11) Arab countries, including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and (16) European countries including Turkey and (18) Asian countries except for the Arab countries and (11) African countries except for the Arab countries and two North American countries, as well as one from South America. According to the report, Oman topped the list of non-oil exporting countries in August 2018 with a total exports of QR 800.365 million, representing 35.5% of the total value of non-oil exports during the month, followed by the Hong Kong with total exports of QR 301.413 million (13.3 percent). In third place was Belgium with QR 164.663 million (7.3 percent) and Singapore QR 160.26 million (7.1 percent). Netherlands ranked fifth with exports amounting to QR 128.102 million (5.7 percent) of the total value of non-oil exports in August 2018. The Germany, Turkey, the United States and India came in different values and percentages respectively, where the first ten countries accounted for 87.9 percent of total non-oil exports in the said month. On the other hand, the GCC countries (Sultanate of Oman and Kuwait) topped the blocs and the economic groups receiving the Qatari non-oil exports during August 2018 with total exports amounting to about QR 812.642 million, then the group of European countries including Turkey and exports worth about QR 646.757 million. The Group of Asian countries excluding Arab countries came in the third place with total exports amounting to QR 638.082 million, followed by the group of Arab countries, excluding the GCC countries with total value of exports amounting to about QR 83.158 million, followed by North America, the African countries except the Arab countries and the South American countries with varying values. (QNA)