20-11-2022
The surplus of the trade balance of the State of Qatar (the difference between total exports and imports) increased during the third quarter of this year by 85.6 percent, achieving a surplus of 107.3 billion riyals, compared to the same period last year, when it reached a level of 57.8 billion riyals.
The Planning and Statistics Authority showed, in its data, that the total value of Qatari exports (including exports of local goods and re-exports) during the third quarter of this year amounted to 138.8 billion riyals, an increase of 56.2 billion riyals, or 68 percent. Compared to the third quarter of last year, which recorded total exports of 82.6 billion riyals, and compared to the second quarter of this year, it recorded an increase of 12.8 billion riyals, or 10.2 percent.
The increase in total exports during the third quarter of 2022 (compared to the third quarter of 2021) is due to the increase in exports of mineral fuels, lubricating oils and similar materials, with a value of 54.2 billion riyals, or a rate of 77.1 percent, and chemicals and their products not mentioned, with a value of one billion riyals or 13.2 percent, manufactured goods that are mainly classified according to material, with a value of 0.6 billion riyals, or 36.6 percent, and miscellaneous manufactures with a value of 0.4 billion riyals, or 184.2 percent.
On the other hand, exports witnessed a decrease in machinery and transport equipment by 0.03 billion riyals, or by 1.6 percent, and food and live animals by 0.002 billion riyals, or by 7.7 percent.
With regard to Qatari imports, the Planning and Statistics Authority stated that their value during the third quarter of this year amounted to 31.5 billion riyals, an increase of 6.7 billion riyals, or 27.1 percent, compared to the same period last year, in which a value of 24.8 billion riyals was recorded. Imports also increased by 4.1 billion riyals, or 15 percent, compared to the second quarter of 2022.
According to the data, the increase in the total value of imports compared to the same period last year is due to the increase in imports of various manufactures by 1.9 billion riyals, or by 44.8 percent, machinery and transport equipment by 1.6 billion riyals, by 16.2 percent, and food and live animals by 1.3 billion riyals, or 56 percent, manufactured goods classified mainly according to material of manufacture, with a value of 0.8 billion riyals, or 21.3 percent, chemicals and their products not mentioned, with a value of 0.7 billion riyals, or 26.9 percent, and mineral fuels, lubricants and similar materials, with a value of 0.3 billion riyals, or 142.7 percent.
On the other hand, imports did not record any significant decreases during the third quarter of this year.
Asian countries ranked first with regard to countries of destination for Qatari exports during the third quarter of 2022, as well as for countries of origin for Qatari imports during the same year, as they accounted for 60.5 percent and 40.1 percent, respectively, followed by the European Union at a rate of 28.1 percent and 26.4 percent. respectively, then the GCC countries at a rate of 8.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.