The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) is pleased to publish the Press Release on "Annual Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics, Year 2020 - State of Qatar", comprising Annual 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. Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) percentage changes are also provided.
Foreign Merchandise Trade Balance: In Year 2020, Qatar recorded a merchandise trade balance surplus (difference between total exports and imports) of QR 93.4 billion, up from QR 159.3 billion in Year 2019.
Total Exports: In Year 2020, the value of Qatar’s total exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to QR 187.5 billion, decreased by QR 78.0 billion (29.4%) compared to Year 2019 total exports of QR 265.5 billion.
The Year 2020 to Year 2019 (Y-o-Y) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by QR 74.5 billion (32.7%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by QR 2.4 billion (30.5%), Chemicals and related products nes by QR 2.1 billion (10.3%), and Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 1.1 billion (79.0%). On the other hand, increases were recorded mainly in Machinery and Transport Equipment by QR 1.1 billion (20.0%), and Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by QR 0.9 billion (44.9%).
Imports: The value of Qatar’s imports in Year 2020 was QR 94.0 billion; decreased by QR 12.2 billion (11.5%) compared to Year 2019 imports of QR 106.2 billion.
The Year 2020 to Year 2019 (Y-o-Y) decrease in imports reflected decreases in Machinery and transport equipment by QR 4.2 billion (10.0%), Miscellaneous manufactured articles by QR 2.9 billion (15.0%), Crude materials, and inedible, except fuels, by QR 2.8 billion (50.7%), Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by QR 1.1 billion (58.9%), Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by QR 0.9 billion (5.9%), and Food and Live Animals by 0.3 billion (2.4%). On the other hand, increases were recorded mainly in Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s by QR 0.4 billion (4.6%).
Major Export/Import Partners: During Year 2020, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 79.9% and 38.6% respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 8.8% and 30.9% respectively, and GCC, with 5.3% and 3.3% respectively.
