Qatar merchandise trade balance recorded a surplus of QR 4.3 billion in April, down by QR 8.6 billion, or 66.9 per cent compared to April 2019 and decreased by nearly QR 3.4 billion, or 44 per cent compared to March 2020.

The data of the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) on the country's merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed that the total value of Qatari exports (which includes exports of local origin and re-exports) amounted to approximately QR 11.8 billion, a decrease of 46.3 per cent compared to April 2019, while it fell by 26.3 per cent compared to March 2020.

The value of merchandise imports in April amounted to QR7.5 billion, a decrease of 17 per cent compared to April 2019, down by 10.1 per cent compared to March 2020.

In April 2020, the value of oil gases and other gas hydrocarbons exports decreased by 45 per cent compared to April 2019 to reach QR 7.6 billion, while the export value of petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) decreased by 68.4 per cent to nearly QR1.2 billion.

The PSA data for April also indicated that the exports value petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) recorded a decrease of 62 per cent, to register about QR 0.5 billion.

In April, South Korea was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar's exports with close to QR 1.8 billion, a share of 15.7 per cent of total exports, followed by China with almost QR 1.33 billion, or 11.3 per cent of the total exports, then India with about QR1.32 billion, i.e. almost the same amount recorded for China.

The group of "jet turbines exceeding the thrust of 25 kN" came at the top of the list of merchandise imports with QR 0.4 billion and an increase of 161.2 per cent, followed by the group of "regular aircraft parts and helicopters" with about QR 0.3 billion, a decrease of 11.9 per cent, and the group of "cars and other vehicles designed to transport people" at about QR 0.3 billion, a decrease of 16.9 per cent compared to April 2019.

Regarding imports, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar's imports with about QR1.5 billion, a share of 19.7 per cent of the total merchandise imports, then the United States of America with QR1 billion, a share of 13.6 per cent, followed by the United Kingdom with QR 0.7 billion, a share of 9.3 per cent of the total.

Source: QNA

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Binu Cherian

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