(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM)) The total value of Abu Dhabi's non-oil merchandise trade in September 2012 was AED 11,793 million, of which AED 9,242 million (78.4 percent of total) was imports, AED 1,242 million (10.5 percent of total) was non-oil exports of and AED 1,309 million (11.1 percent of total) was re-exports, according to Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) monthly report on non-oil merchandise trade through the ports of the Emirate of Abu for the month of September 2012.
''Total non-oil merchandise trade dropped by AED 242 million (2.0 percent) in September compared with August 2012, with non-oil exports retreating by AED 948 million (43.3 percent) while imports advanced by AED 478 million (5.5 percent) and re-exports by AED 227 million (21.0 percent) over the same period of time,'' the report said.
A year on year comparison (September 2012/2011) shows a decrease of AED 160 million (1.3 percent) in total trade, with imports decreasing by AED 1,140 million (11.0 percent), while non-oil exports increased by AED 684 million (122.5 percent) and re-exports by AED 297 million (29.3 percent), over the same period.
Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) issued the monthly report on non-oil merchandise trade to support decision makers and businesses with accurate and up-to-date statistics on the non-oil merchandise that entered or exited the territory of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi through the emirate's ports (including air, sea and land ports) in September 2012, highlighting the relative importance of each individual component of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports. It worth noting that the movement of merchandise reported in this statistic does not represent the whole of Abu Dhabi Emirate's foreign trade, a large proportion of which flows through the ports of other emirates.
Non-oil merchandise trade: September compared with August 2012 Analysis of trade data for September compared with August 2012 reveals a rise of 5.5 percent in imports, due to increases in the imports of "Machinery and transport equipment" by AED 432 million (10.0 percent) and "Chemicals and related products" by AED 249 million (29.9 percent).
Meanwhile, the value of non-oil exports declined by 43.3 percent, reflecting decreases of AED 600 million (79.3 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment", AED 289 million (44.6 percent) in "Chemicals and related products" and AED 115 million (24.5 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material".
On the other hand, re-exports advanced by 21.0 percent, with increases of AED 192 million (26.7 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment" and AED 47 million (143 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material".
Non-oil merchandise trade in September 2012 compared with September 2011 A year-on-year comparison of non-oil merchandise trade data ( for September 2012/2011) indicates a fall of 11 percent in the value of imports, due to decreases of AED 713 million (13.0 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment" and AED 417 million (55.0 percent) in "Other" commodities.
By contrast, non-oil exports advanced 122.5 percent, with increases of AED 257 million (1,268.9 percent) in "Miscellaneous manufactured items", AED 180 million (100.5 percent) in "Chemicals and related products" and AED 118 million (49.6 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material".
Similarly, the value of re-exports increased by 29.3 percent, reflecting increases of AED 288 million (46.4 percent) in "Machinery and transport equipment" and AED 53 million (143.0 percent) in "Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material", which were partially offset by a decrease of AED 41 million (17.9 percent) in "Miscellaneous manufactured items".
Non-oil merchandise trade by country: September 2012 SCAD's report also details the imports, non-oil exports and re-exports in September 2012 by value and trading partner, revealing that the top countries of origin for imports were USA, which was the source of imports worth (AED 1,119 million), Germany (AED 1,117 million) and Saudi Arabia (AED 915 million). Together, these three countries supplied 34.1 percent of Abu Dhabi's total imports in September 2012.
China was the top destination of Abu Dhabi's non-oil exports in September 2012, receiving merchandise worth (AED 372 million), followed by Saudi Arabia (AED 363 million) and Singapore (AED 106 million). The combined share of these three countries was 67.7 percent of total non-oil exports in September 2012.
Bahrain topped the list of destinations for Abu Dhabi's re-exports by value, receiving merchandise worth (AED 271 million), followed by Qatar (AED 200 million) and Saudi Arabia (AED 178 million). Re-exports to these top three countries made up 49.6 percent of total re-exports during September 2012.
Historical series of monthly trade data- January 2010 to September 2012 SCAD explained that the largest monthly figure for imports through the ports of Abu Dhabi over the period from January 2010 to September 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.
The Centre noted that the goods covered under the report methodology do not belong entirely to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi but to other Emirates as well. This report does not record Abu Dhabi's trade through the ports of the other Emirates either.
The report data have been sourced from the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance - Customs Administration, with the scope of the statistic therefore restricted to the trade flows recorded at ports operated under the jurisdiction of the Customs Administration. The report highlights the relative importance of each individual component of imports, non-oil exports and re-exports.
