The merchandise trade balance of the State of Qatar recorded a surplus of 19.6 billion riyals during the third quarter of this year, compared to a surplus of 38.0 billion riyals in the same period last year, with an annual decline of 48.4 percent … while the balance recorded a surplus, which means the difference between total exports and imports. A surplus of 4.1 billion riyals compared to the second quarter of this year.
A statement by the Planning and Statistics Authority, issued today, showed that the total Qatari exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to 41.1 billion riyals during the third quarter of this year, recording a decrease of 35.5 percent compared to the same quarter of last year that recorded Total exports worth 63.7 billion riyals, but exports recorded an increase of 3.3 billion riyals, equivalent to 8.6 percent, compared to the second quarter of 2020.
The annual decline came as a result of a decline in the total Qatari exports of mineral fuels, lubricants and similar materials, at a value of 21.0 billion riyals, or 38.5 percent, and manufactured goods classified mainly by substance, valued at 1.1 billion riyals, and by 49.5 percent.
Exports of chemical materials and their products also fell by 0.5 billion riyals (9.1 percent), and raw materials inedible excluding fuel fell by 0.2 billion riyals, or by 81.1 percent.
On the other hand, exports witnessed a rise in various manufactures by 0.2 billion riyals, equivalent to 71.7 percent.
As for Qatari imports, they decreased in the third quarter of this year to 21.5 billion riyals, or 16.5 percent, compared to the same period last year, which recorded 25.7 billion riyals … while it recorded a decline of 3.6 percent compared to the second quarter of this year.
The statement stated that the reason for the decline in imports is due to the decline in imports of machinery and transport equipment, valued at 3.0 billion riyals, by 26.3 percent, and raw materials are inedible, excluding fuel, with a value of 1.1 billion riyals, or 69.4 percent, and manufactured goods, mainly classified by material of manufacture, worth 0.5 billion riyals. A rate of 13.4 percent, and mineral fuels, lubricants and similar materials with a value of 0.1 billion riyals, or 47.9 percent.
On the other hand, imports witnessed a rise in various manufactures by 0.2 billion riyals, or 6.6 percent, and chemicals and their products by 0.2 billion riyals, or by 8.8 percent.
Asian countries ranked first for countries of destination for Qatari exports during the third quarter of 2020, as well as for countries of origin for Qatari imports, which accounted for 79.0% and 39.7%, respectively, followed by the European Union at a rate of 9.0% and 29.8%, then the GCC countries Gulf Cooperation Council rate of 6.0 percent and 3.3 percent.
