The Planning and Statistics Authority has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports, and imports for January 2019. A brief analysis of the data is given below:
In January 2019, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 24.7 billion, showing a decrease of 2.6% compared to January 2018, and decreased by 3.0% compared to December 2018.
On other hand, the imports of goods in January 2019 amounted to around QR 8.8 billion, showing a decrease of 8.0% over January 2018. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports decrease by 7.5%.
In January 2019, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 15.8 billion almost, i.e. an increase of about QR 0.1 billion or 0.8% compared to January 2018, And decreased by nearly QR 0.05 billion or 0.3% compared to December 2018.
The year on year (January 2019 to January 2018) decrease in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching 16.3 billion approximately in January 2019, i.e. an decrease of 0.1%, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.7 billion nearly, decreased by 11.0%, and decrease in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR 1.6 billion, decreased by 7.0% .
In January 2019, Japan was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR 4.24 billion, a share of 17.2% of total exports, followed by China with almost QR 4.23 billion and a share of 17.2 %, South Korea with about QR 3.8 billion, a share of 15.5%.
During January 2019, the group of “Motor cars & other passenger vehicles” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.3 billion, showing an decrease of 39.4% compared to January 2018. In second place was “Parts Of Balloons Etc.; Parts Of Aircraft, Spacecraft Etc.” with QR 0.3 billion, showing an increased by 2.8%, and in third place was " Turbojets, turbo propellers & other gas turbines; parts thereof " with QR 0.3 billion, decrease of 50.2%.
In January 2019, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR 1.4 billion, a share of 15.4% of the imports, followed by China with QR 1.1 billion almost, a share of 12.7%, and Oman with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 7.5%.
