Qatar's foreign trade surplus at QR6.3bn in March this year

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

By Sachin Kumar

DOHA: Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade surplus (the difference between total exports and imports) stood at QR6.3bn in March 2016 showing a decline of 15.3 percent or QR1.1bn compared to February same year.

According to preliminary figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics the surplus has shown a decline of 58.7 percent compared to March last year.

The total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to QR17.1bn showing a decrease of 33 percent compared to March 2015. However total exports increased by 0.4 percent compared to February 2016.

The year-on-year decline in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons such as LNG condensates propane butane etc reaching QR9.6bn in March 2016 a decrease of 44.6 percent.

Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) was QR2.3bn showing a fall of 33.9 percent. Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reached QR0.8bn reflecting a decline of 37 percent.

The imports of goods in March 2016 amounted to QR10.8bn showing an increase of 4.7 percent over March 2015. However on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports increased by 12.6 percent.

In March 2016 Japan was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with QR3.8bn a share of 22.1 percent of total exports followed by South Korea with QR2.4bn and a share of 13.8 percent India with QR2.1bn a share of 12.2 percent.

The US was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports in March with QR1.4bn a share of 12.5 percent of the imports followed by the United Arab Emirates with QR1bn a share of 9.1 percent and China with QR0.9bn a share of 8.7 percent.

During March 2016 motor cars and other passenger vehicles was at the top of the imported group of commodities with QR0.8bn showing a decrease of 21.8 percent compared to March 2015.

In second place was parts of aircraft and helicopters etc with QR0.4bn showing a decrease of 29.7 percent and in third place was electrical apparatus for line telephone sets etc with QR0.3bn reflecting a decline of 19.3 percent.

The Peninsula