The Planning and Statistics Authority has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports and imports for December 2020. A brief analysis of the data is given below:
In December 2020, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 17.1 billion, showing a decrease of 27.3% compared to December 2019, and increased of 3.3% compared to November 2020.
On other hand, the imports of goods in December 2020 amounted to around QR 8.5 billion, showing a decrease of 8.0% over December 2019. However, on a month on month (M-o-M) basis the imports increase by 13.4% compared to November 2020.
In December 2020, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 8.6 billion almost, i.e. a decrease of about QR5.7 billion or 39.8% compared to December 2019, and decreased by nearly QR 0.5 billion or 5.2% compared to November 2020.
The year on year (December 2020 to December 2019) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR 9.4 billion approximately in December 2020, i.e. a decrease of 36.8%, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.0 billion nearly, decreased by 26.7%, and increase in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching 1.5 billion, increased by 8.2%.
In December 2020, India was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR 2.83 billion, a share of 16.5% of total exports, followed by China with almost QR 2.75 billion and a share of 16.1%, Japan with about QR 2.7 billion, a share of 15.7%.
The year on year (December 2020 to December 2019), the group of " Turbojets, Turbo propellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof " was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.5 billion, showing a decrease of 40.9%. In second place was ““Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets Etc.; Parts Thereof " with QR 0.4 billion, showing an increase of 16.4% and in third place was “Parts of Aero planes or Helicopters” with QR 0.2 billion, decrease of 24.1%.
In December 2020, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR 1.3 billion, a share of 15.2% of the imports, followed by United State of America with QR1.2 billion almost, a share of 13.7%, and Germany with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 7.7%.
