The value of Qatar’s total exports of goods stood at QR19.3bn in December 2016, a decrease of 2.6 percent from a year ago, but increased by 2.6 percent on month-on-month. The imports of goods in December 2016 amounted to around QR8.5bn, showing decrease of 22.2 percent over December 2015. On month-on-month basis the imports decreased by 6.1 percent, a preliminary data released by the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) noted yesterday.
In December 2016, the foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR10.7bn, an increase of about QR1.9bn or 21.7 percent compared to December 2015; and increased by nearly QR1.0bn or 10.7 percent compared to November 2016. The YoY decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR11.9bn approximately in December 2016, i.e. a decrease of 6.6 percent, while increase was shown in Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR 3.4bn nearly, up 52.9 percent.
In December 2016, Japan ranked top destination of Qatar's exports with close to QR 3.3bn, a share of 17.3 percent of total exports, followed by South Korea with QR 3.1bn or a share of 16.0 percent, India with a value of QR2.3bn, a share of 11.8 percent.
During December 2016, Motor cars and other passenger vehicles, was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR0.7bn, down 38.6 percent compared to December 2015, followed by electrical apparatus for line telephony/telegraphy, telephone sets etc.
In December 2016, the US was the leading country of origin of Qatar's imports with about QR1.2bn, a share of 13.5 percent of the country’s total imports, followed by United Arab Emirates with QR1.0bn, a share of 11.3 percent and China with QR0.8bn accounting for 9.6 percent of the total imports.
