Saudi Arabia recorded a 28.4 percent rise in non-oil exports in the third quarter of 2021 to $18.48 billion thanks to higher shipments of plastic and chemicals.
Compared to Q2-2021, non-oil exports in the third quarter rose 5.5 percent. The ratio of non-oil exports to imports increased to 48 percent in Q3 2021 from 44 percent in the year-ago period.
Overall, exports increased by 72 percent year-on-year to 276 billion riyals, mainly due to higher oil exports, which rose by 100 billion riyals, or nearly 94 percent, in the same period. The share of oil exports in total exports rose to 75 percent from 66.4 percent in the year-ago period.
Meanwhile, imports to the kingdom increased 17percent to 144.6 billion riyals compared to the same quarter in 2020. This generated a trade surplus of 131 billion riyals, the third consecutive quarter of surplus this year, GASTAT data showed.