The National Planning Council has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports, and imports for September 2024. A brief analysis of the data is given below:
In September 2024, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 27.6 billion, showing a decrease of 5.7% compared to September 2023, and a decrease of 7.9% compared to August 2024.
On other hand, the imports of goods in September 2024 amounted to around QR 9.9 billion, showing an increase of 4.9% compared to September 2023. and decrease by 2.8% compared to August 2024.
In September 2024, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 17.7 billion almost, i.e., a decrease of about QR 2.13 billion or 10.7% compared to September 2023, and a decrease by nearly QR 2.08 billion or 10.5% compared to August 2024.
The year on year (September 2024 vs. September 2023) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR 16.7 billion (approximately) in September 2024, i.e. decrease of 0.1%, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.7 billion nearly, decrease by 31.3%, and a decrease in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching 2.5 billion 21.5%.
In September 2024, China was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR 5.6 billion, a share of 20.3% of total exports, followed by South Korea with almost QR 3.0 billion and a share of 10.8%, and India with about QR 2.9 billion, a share of 10.4%.
Year on year (September 2024 vs. September 2023), the group “Parts of Balloons Etc; Parts of Aircraft; Spacecraft Etc” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 0.4 billion, showing an decrease of 10.6%. In second place was “Turbojets, Turbopropellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” with QR 0.3 billion, an decrease of 52.0%. and in third place “Medicaments Nes, Mixed Or Not, In Dosage Etc. Form” with QR 0.2 billion, showing a increase of 37.3%.
In September 2024, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR 1.7 billion, a share of 17.5% of the imports, followed by United States of America with QR 1.1 billion almost, a share of 10.9%, and Japan with QR 0.6 billion, a share of 5.9%.
