Doha: Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR36.2bn in August 2022, registering an increase of about QR17.1bn or 89.0 percent compared to the corresponding period last year (August 2021). When compared month-on-month (M-o-M), the surplus increased by nearly QR1.5bn or 4.2 percent compared to July 2022, according to preliminary figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) yesterday.
In August 2022, the total exports of goods including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports amounted to around QR46.8bn, showing an increase of 71.6 percent compared to August 2021, and an increase of 5.5 percent compared to July 2022.
On the other hand, the imports of goods in August 2022 amounted to around QR10.6bn, showing an increase of 30.5 percent compared to August 2021, and an increase of 10.2 percent compared to July 2022.
The year-on-year (August 2022 vs. August 2021) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, and others) reaching QR33.5bn approximately in August 2022, an increase of 100.6 percent, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR5.2bn nearly, increased by 29.5 percent, and increase in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching QR2.9bn, increased by 15.4 percent.
In August 2022, China was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR5.4bn, a share of 11.5 percent of total exports, followed by Japan with almost QR5.2bn and a share of 11.0 percent, and the United Kingdom with about QR5.0bn, a share of 10.8 percent.
In August 2022, the group of “Turbojets, Turbopropellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR600m, showing an increase of 64.1 percent. In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for The Transport of Persons” with QR500m, showing an increase of 17.3 percent, and in third place was “Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets and others; Parts Thereof” with QR300m, an increase of 63.1 percent.
During the same period, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR1.8bn, a share of 17.4 percent of the imports, followed by the United States of America with QR1.5bn almost, a share of 14.4 percent, and Italy with QR700m, a share of 6.8 percent.
