(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM)) Total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil merchandise trade in August 2012 was AED 12,035 million, of which AED 8,764 million (72.8 percent of total) was imports, AED 2,189 million (18.2 percent of total) was non-oil exports of and AED 1,082 million (9.0 percent of total) was re-exports, official figures showed.
''Total non-oil merchandise trade grew by AED 294 million (2.5 percent) in August compared with July 2012, with non-oil exports increasing by AED 1,130 million (>100 percent) while imports retreated by AED 656 million (7.0 percent) and re-exports by AED 180 million (14.2 percent) over the same period of time,'' Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) said in its monthly report on non-oil merchandise trade through the ports of the Emirate of Abu for the month of August 2012.
Non-oil merchandise trade: August compared with July 2012 Analysis of trade data for August compared with July 2012 fall of 7.0 percent in imports, due to a drop in of AED 288 million (12.1 percent) in the imports of "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material" and fall of AED 249 million (5.4 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment".
Meanwhile, the value of non-oil exports increased by over 100 percent, with increases of AED 642 million (>100 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment", AED 266 million (69.7 percent) in "Chemicals and related products" and AED 192 million (>100 percent) in "Miscellaneous manufactured items".
On the other hand re-exports slipped by 14.2 percent over the same period, primarily due to a fall of AED 165 million (18.7 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment".
Non-oil merchandise trade in August 2012 compared with August 2011 A year on year comparison of non-oil merchandise trade data ( for August 2012 compared with August 2011) indicates a rise of AED 2,011 million (20.1 percent) in total trade, with non-oil exports increasing by AED 1,781 million (>100 percent), and imports decreasing by AED 125 million (1.4 percent) over the same period, due to decreases of AED 283 million (34.8 percent) in the "Other commodities" group and AED 96 million (2.2 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment", which were partially offset by increases of AED 155 million (22.9 percent) in "Chemicals and related products" and AED 72 million (3.6 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material".
Non-oil exports increased by over 100 percent, reflecting increases of AED 731 million (>100 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment", AED 553 million (>100 percent) in "Chemicals and related products", AED 227 million (93.0 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material" and AED 199 million (>100 percent) in "Miscellaneous manufactured items".
Meanwhile the value of re-exports increased by AED 355 million (48.9 percent), due to increases of AED 254 million (54.8 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment" and AED 58 million (41.2 percent) in "Miscellaneous manufactured items".
Non-oil merchandise trade by country: August 2012 SCAD's report also details the imports, non-oil exports and re-exports in August 2012 by value and trading partner, revealing that the top countries of origin for imports were South Korea, which was the source of imports worth (AED 1,170 million), USA (AED 990 million) and Saudi Arabia (AED 865 million). These three countries supplied 34.5 percent of Abu Dhabi's total imports in August 2012.
Saudi Arabia was the top destination of Abu Dhabi's non-oil exports in August 2012, importing merchandise worth (AED 542 million), followed by Bahrain (AED 295 million) and Qatar (AED 243 million). The combined contribution of these three countries represented 49.3 percent of total non-oil exports in August 2012.
Bahrain topped the list of destinations for Abu Dhabi's re-exports, receiving merchandise worth (AED 273 million), followed by Qatar (AED 192 million) and Saudi Arabia (AED 178 million). Re-exports to these top three countries made up 59.5 percent of total re-exports during August 2012.
Historical series of monthly trade data- January 2010 to August 2012 SCAD further explained that the largest monthly figure for imports through the ports of Abu Dhabi over the period from January 2010 to August 2012 was AED 12,777 million, recorded in October 2011, while the largest non-oil exports figure (AED 3,261 million) was recorded in August 2010, and the largest re-exports (AED 1,360 million) in May 2012.