The Planning and Statistics Authority issued its preliminary report on foreign trade statistics for the month of April 2023. The report includes data on exports (of local origin and re-exports) and imports. The following is a brief presentation of the data:
During April 2023, the value of total Qatari exports (which includes exports of local origin and re-exports) amounted to approximately 30.7 billion riyals, a decrease of 29.4% compared to April 2022, and a decrease of 0.5% compared to March 2023).
On the other hand, the value of merchandise imports decreased during the month of April 2023, to reach about 8.7 billion riyals, a decrease of 6.3% compared to April 2022, and a decrease of 9.3% compared to March 2023.
In light of this, the commodity trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports during the month of April 2023, achieved a surplus of 22.0 billion riyals, recording a decrease of 12.2 billion riyals, or 35.6% compared to the same month of the previous year 2022, and an increase of 0.7. Approximately one billion Qatari riyals, or 3.5%, compared to March 2023.
In comparison between April 2023 and April 2022, the value of exports of “oil gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons”, which represent (liquefied natural gas, condensate, propane, butane, etc..) decreased to about 18.6 billion Qatari riyals, or by 33.2%, and the value of “petroleum oils” decreased. and oils obtained from bituminous mineral raw materials” to reach approximately 5.0 billion Qatari riyals, or 25.8%, and the value of exports of “oil oils and oils obtained from non-crude bituminous mineral materials” decreased to about 2.6 billion Qatari riyals, or 29.0%.
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 April 2023, with a value of approximately 5.6 billion Qatari riyals, or 18.3% of the total value of Qatari exports, followed by South Korea, with a value of approximately 5.1 billion Qatari riyals, i.e. It represents 16.6% of the total value of exports, then India, with a value of approximately 3.5 billion Qatari riyals, or 11.4%.
In comparison between April 2023 and April 2022, the group of “cars and other vehicles designed mainly for the transport of people” came at the top of the list of merchandise imports, with a value of 0.4 billion Qatari riyals, with a decrease of 1.5%, followed by the group of “jet turbines, propeller turbines, turbines Other gases and their parts”, with a value of approximately 0.36 billion Qatari riyals, a decrease of 47.5%. %,.
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 April 2023, with a value of approximately 1.3 billion Qatari riyals, or 14.7% of the total value of merchandise imports, then China, with a value of 1.1 billion Qatari riyals, or 13.0 percent. %, followed by India with a value of 0.5 billion Qatari riyals, or 6.1%.
