The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) is pleased to publish the Press Release on "Annual Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics, Year 2018 - 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 2018, Qatar recorded a merchandise trade balance surplus (difference between total exports and imports) of QR 191.4 billion, up from QR 136.9 billion in Year 2017.
Total Exports: In Year 2018, the value of Qatar’s total exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to QR 306.8 billion, increased by QR 61.1 billion (24.9%) compared to Year 2017 total exports of QR 245.7 billion.
The Year 2018 to Year 2017 (Y-o-Y) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by QR 57.1 billion, Chemicals and related products nes by QR 3.6 billion and Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by QR 0.6 billion. On the other hand decreases was recorded mainly in Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 0.6 billion, Food and Live Animals by QR 0.1 billion.
Imports: The value of Qatar’s imports in Year 2018 was QR 115.4 billion; increased by QR 6.5 billion (6.0%) compared to Year 2017 imports of QR 108.8 billion.
The Year 2018 to Year 2017 (Y-o-Y) increase in imports reflected increases in Machinery and transport equipment by QR 1.6 billion, Miscellaneous manufactured articles by QR 2.2 billion and Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by QR 1.8 billion, Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s by QR 0.6 billion. On the other hand decreases was recorded mainly in Beverages and Tobacco by QR 0.2 billion, Crude materials, and inedible, except fuels, by QR 0.6 billion and Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by QR 0.1 billion.
Major Export/Import Partners: During Year 2018, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 81.1% and 36.4% respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 9.3% and 28.3% respectively, and GCC, with 3.8% and 4.4% respectively.
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