The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) is pleased to publish the Press Release on "Quarterly Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics, Q1 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 Q1 2023, Qatar recorded a merchandise trade balance surplus (difference between total exports and imports) of QR 68.5 billion from QR 74.6 billion in Q1 2022. (Table 1)
Total Exports: In Q1 2023, the value of Qatar’s total exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to QR 95.9 billion, decreased by QR 7.9 billion (7.6%) compared to Q1 2022 which amounted total exports of QR 103.8 billion. And decreased by nearly QR 17.6 billion or 15.5% compared to Q4 2022. (Tables 1, 2)
The Q1 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 4.8 billion (5.5%), Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s. by QR 2.6 billion (27.2%), Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 0.5 billion (52.1%), Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material by QR 0.1 billion (4.6%), Machinery and Transport Equipment by QR 0.3 billion (15.0%), On other hand increases was recorded mainly in Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by QR 0.3 billion (126.1%). (Table 2)
Imports: The value of Qatar’s imports in Q1 2023 was QR 27.4 billion; decreased by QR 1.8 billion (6.1%) compared to Q1 2022 imports of QR 29.2 billion. And decreased by nearly QR 6.5 billion or 19.2% compared to Q4 2022. (Tables 1, 2)
The Q1 2023 (Y-o-Y) decrease in imports values is mainly due to decreases in Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by QR 1.1 billion (18.9%), Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials by QR 0.5 billion (57.9%), Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s. by QR 0.3 billion (10.6%), Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly by Material by QR 0.1 billion (2.3%), Food and Live Animals by QR 0.3 billion (8.4%). On other hand increases was recorded mainly in Machinery and Transport Equipment by QR 0.4 billion (3.5%) and Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by 0.3 billion (28.8%). (Table 2)
Major Export/Import Partners: During Q1 2023, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 75.7% and 38.8% respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 13.8% and 29.6% respectively, and GCC, with 5.5% and 5.3% respectively. (Table 3)
