Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR26.7bn almost in March 2022, representing an increase of about QR13.2bn or 97.8 percent compared to March 2021, and increase by nearly QR4.3bn 19 percent compared to February 2022.
The Planning and Statistics Authority has released preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports and imports for March 2022.
In March 2022, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR36.7bn, showing an increase of 66.4 percent compared to March 2021, and increase of 15.2 percent compared to February 2022. The imports of goods in March 2022 amounted to around QR10bn, showing an increase of 17.1 percent compared to March 2021 and increase of 6.1 percent compared to February 2022.
The year on year (March 2022 vs. March 2021) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR20.1bn (approximately) in March 2022, i.e. an increase of 50.7 percent, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR6.6bn nearly, increase by 107.4 percent, and increase in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching 3.8bn 108.8 percent.
In March 2022, India was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR5.6bn, a share of 15.3 percent of total exports, followed by China with almost QR5.3bn and a share of 14.4 percent, South Korea with about QR4.6bn, a share of 12.6 percent.
The year on year (March 2022 vs. March 2021), the group of “Turbojets, Turbo propellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR0.6bn, showing an Increase of 36.6 percent. In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for The Transport of Persons” with QR0.4bn, showing an increase of 51.9 percent and in third place was “Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets Etc.; Parts Thereof” with QR0.3bn, increase of 22.7 percent.
In March 2022, United State of America was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR1.7bn, a share of 17.4 percent of the imports, followed by China with QR1.3bn almost, a share of 13.4 percent, and India with QR0.7bn, a share of 7.1 percent.
