The Planning and Statistics Authority issued its preliminary report on foreign trade statistics for the month of March 2023. The report includes data on exports (of local origin and re-exports) and imports. During March 2023, the value of the total Qatari exports (which includes exports of local origin and re-exports) ) approximately 30.9 billion riyals, a decrease of 15.5% compared to March 2022, and a decrease of 0.6% compared to February 2023.
On the other hand, the value of merchandise imports decreased during March 2023, reaching about 9.6 billion Qatari riyals, a decrease of 4.6% compared to March 2022, and an increase of 18.1% compared to February 2023.
In light of this, the commodity trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports during the month of March 2023, achieved a surplus of 21.3 billion riyals, recording a decrease of 5.2 billion riyals, or 19.6% compared to the same month of the previous year 2022, and a decrease of 1.6 billion riyals. Approximately, or 7.2%, compared to February 2023.
In comparison between March 2023 and March 2022, the value of exports of “oil gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons”, which represent (liquefied natural gas, condensate, propane, butane, etc..), decreased to about 19.0 billion riyals, or by 5.4%, and the value of “oils and oils” decreased. Crude continental mineral materials” to reach approximately 4.9 billion riyals, or 26.5%, and the value of exports of “oil oils and oils obtained from non-crude continental mineral materials” decreased, reaching about 2.5 billion riyals, or 32.4%.
In terms of exports according to the main countries of destination, China ranked first in the destination countries for the exports of the State of Qatar during the month of March 2023, with a value of approximately 6.4 billion Qatari riyals, or 20.7% of the total value of Qatari exports, followed by South Korea, with a value of approximately 4.9 billion riyals, or a percentage of 15.8% of the total value of exports, then India with a value of approximately 3.6 billion riyals, or 11.6%.
In comparison between March 2023 and March 2022, the group of “jet turbines and propeller turbines, other gas turbines and their parts” came at the top of the list of commodity imports, with a value of 0.8 billion Qatari riyals, an increase of 31.5%, followed by the group of “cars and other vehicles designed mainly For the transport of persons”, with a value of approximately 0.4 billion riyals, an increase of 0.7%, and the group “ornaments and jewelry and their parts, made of precious metals or with a metal shell”, with a value of 0.3 billion riyals, an increase of 4.5%.
In terms of imports according to the main countries of origin, the United States of America ranked first in the countries of origin with regard to the imports of the State of Qatar during the month of March 2023, with a value of approximately 1.8 billion Qatari riyals, or 19.3% of the total value of merchandise imports, then China, with a value of 1.2 billion riyals, or 12.1%. Followed by India, with a value of 0.6 billion riyals, or 6.3%.
