The Planning and Statistics Authority has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports, and imports for December 2019. A brief analysis of the data is given below:
In December 2019, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 23.6 billion, showing a decrease of 7.2% compared to December 2018, and increase of 6.4% compared to November 2019.
On other hand, the imports of goods in December 2019 amounted to around QR 9.3 billion, showing a decrease of 2.7% over December 2018. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports decrease by 4.0%.
In December 2019, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 14.3 billion almost, i.e. a decrease of about QR 1.6 billion or 10.0% compared to December 2018, And increased by nearly QR 1.8 billion or 14.4% compared to November 2019.
The year on year (December 2019 to December 2018) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR 15.0 billion approximately in December 2019, i.e. a decrease of 10.1%, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 4.1 billion nearly, increased by 20.9%, and decrease in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR 1.4 billion, decreased by 17.6%
In December 2019, Japan was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR 5.0 billion, a share of 21.1% of total exports, followed by China with almost QR 3.5 billion and a share of 14.7 %, South Korea with about QR 3.4 billion, a share of 14.2%.
During December 2019, the group of "Electrical apparatus for line telephony/telegraphy, telephone sets etc.; parts thereof " was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.34 billion, showing an increase of 56.2% compared to December 2018. In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles For The Transport of Persons" with QR 0.32 billion, showing a decrease of 13.5% and in third place was “Parts of Balloons Etc.; Parts of Aircraft, Spacecraft Etc” with QR 0.31 billion, decrease of 10.5%.
In December 2019, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR 2.0 billion, a share of 22.0% of the imports, followed by China with QR 1.2 billion almost, a share of 12.5%, and Germany with QR 0.5 billion, a share of 5.6%.
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