Doha, Qatar — Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 16.7 billion ($4.58 billion) in Nov 2023, a decrease of about QR 9.5 billion, or 36.3 percent, compared to Nov 2022, and a decrease by nearly QR 2.3 billion or 12.1 percent compared to Oct 2023.
According to figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority on Monday, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 26.5 billion in Nov 2023, showing a decrease of 28.6 percent compared to Nov 2022, and a decrease of 8.8 percent compared to Oct 2023, QNA reported.
On other hand, the imports of goods in Nov 2023 amounted to around QR 9.8 billion, showing a decrease of 10.1 percent compared to Nov 2022, and a decrease of 2.6 percent compared to Oct 2023.
The year on year (Nov 2023 vs. Nov 2022) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR 16.6 billion (approximately) in Nov 2023, a decrease of 32.6 percent.
Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reached QR 3.7 billion nearly, a decrease by 28.9 percent, and Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching 2.4 billion, a decrease by 12.7 percent, QNA reported.
In Nov 2023, China was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR 5.4 billion, a share of 20.4 percent of total exports, followed by India with almost QR 3.7 billion and a share of 13.8 percent, and Japan with about QR 2.8 billion, a share of 10.6 percent.
The year on year (Nov 2023 vs. Nov 2022), the group of “Turbojets, Turbopropellers and Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof” was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR 1.0 billion, showing an increase of 47.9 percent.
In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for the Transport of Persons” with QR 0.39 billion, decrease by 3.4 percent, and in third place was “Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets Etc.; Parts Thereof” with QR 0.36 billion, showing a decrease of 4.7 percent.
In Nov 2023, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR 1.51 billion, a share of 15.4 percent of the imports, followed by United State of America with QR 1.47 billion almost, a share of 15.0 percent, and Italy with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 7.6 percent.