The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) is pleased to publish the Press Release on "Quarterly Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics, Q2 2023 State of Qatar", comprising quarterly data on imports, exports, re-exports, and trade balance. The bulletin presents detailed statistics of the foreign merchandise trade of Qatar by commodity and partner country. Quarter-on-Quarter (Q-o-Q) percentage changes are also provided.
Foreign Merchandise Trade Balance: In Q2 2023, Qatar recorded a merchandise trade balance surplus (difference between total exports and imports) of QR 57.6 billion from QR 98.6 billion in Q2 2022.
Total Exports: In Q2 2023, the value of Qatar’s total exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to QR 85.3 billion, decreased by QR 40.6 billion (32.2%) compared to Q2 2022 which amounted total exports of QR 125.9 billion. And decreased by nearly QR 10.5 billion or 11.0% compared to Q1 2023.
The Q2 2023 year on year (Y-o-Y) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials by QR 35.9 billion (32.8%), Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s. by QR 3.8 billion (38.3%), Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 1.1 billion (77.9%), Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material by QR 0.2 billion (7.6%), Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by QR 0.3 billion (36.7%). On other hand increases was recorded mainly in Machinery and Transport Equipment by QR 0.7 billion (47.7%), Food and Live Animals by QR 0.02 billion (51.4%).
Imports: The value of Qatar’s imports in Q2 2023 was QR 27.7 billion; increased by QR 0.3 billion (1.3%) compared to Q2 2022 imports of QR 27.4 billion. And increased by nearly QR 0.3 billion or 0.9% compared to Q1 2023.
The Q2 2023 (Y-o-Y) increases in imports values is mainly due to increases in:
Machinery and Transport Equipment by QR 1.1 billion (11.7%), Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials by QR 0.05 billion (14.2%). On other hand decreases was recorded mainly in Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by 0.2 billion (19.1%), Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s. by QR 0.1 billion (4.6%), Food and Live Animals by QR 0.1 billion (4.1%), Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material by QR 0.1 billion (3.5%), Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by QR 0.1 billion (2.3%).
Major Export/Import Partners: During Q2 2023, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 74.6% and 37.4% respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 13.4% and 25.3% respectively, and GCC, with 7.6% and 5.9% respectively.
