Foreign Merchandise Trade Balance in Qatar Showed Surplus of QR 15.8 Billion in January

Doha, February 26 (QNA) - In January 2019, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 15.8 billion almost, i.e. an increase of about QR 0.1 billion or 0.8 percent compared to January 2018, And decreased by nearly QR 0.05 billion or 0.3 percent compared to December 2018, the Planning and Statistics Authority revealed. In January 2019, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 24.7 billion, showing a decrease of 2.6 percent compared to January 2018, and decreased by 3.0 percent compared to December 2018. On other hand, the imports of goods in January 2019 amounted to around QR 8.8 billion, showing a decrease of 8.0 percent over January 2018. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports decrease by 7.5 percent. The year on year (January 2019 to January 2018) decrease in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching 16.3 billion approximately in January 2019, i.e. an decrease of 0.1 percent, Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.7 billion nearly, decreased by 11.0 percent, and decrease in the Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR 1.6 billion, decreased by 7.0 percent. In January 2019, Japan was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar's exports with close to QR 4.24 billion, a share of 17.2 percent of total exports, followed by China with almost QR 4.23 billion and a share of 17.2 percent, South Korea with about QR 3.8 billion, a share of 15.5 percent. During January 2019, 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 39.4 percent compared to January 2018. In second place was "Parts of Balloons Etc.; Parts of Aircraft, Spacecraft Etc." with QR 0.3 billion, showing an increased by 2.8 percent, and in third place was “Turbojets, turbo propellers and other gas turbines; parts thereof “with QR 0.3 billion, decrease of 50.2 percent. In January 2019, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatar's imports with about QR 1.4 billion, a share of 15.4 percent of the imports, followed by China with QR 1.1 billion almost, a share of 12.7 percent, and Oman with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 7.5 percent. (QNA)