Qatar’s trade surplus hits USD25.2 in Q3

04 Jan 2015

(MENAFN) According to the latest data released by Qatar’s Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, the country registered a trade surplus has reached USD25.2 billion during the July-September period of 2014, declining by nearly 7 percent compared to USD27.10 billion in the correspondent period of2013, The Peninsula Qatar reported.

During the third quarter of 2014, the value of Qatar’s total exports of goods amounted to USD32.71 billion, down by 3.9 percent compared with USD34.02 billion worth of goods exported in the corresponding quarter in 2013, with the decline being attributed to lower exports of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and despite the increase in the exports of chemical and related products.

Meanwhile, the value of imports in registered an increase during the same period which was mainly due to sharp rise in the import of manufactured goods, which hit USD247.01 million jumping up by 34.8 percent, followed by food and livestock at USD137.23 billion which increased by 22.6 percent compared to the third quarter in the previous year.

During the quarter, Asia topped the list of destinations of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 77.7 percent and 33.6 percent, respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 9 percent and 28.8 percent, respectively, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, with 7.9 percent and 16.0 percent, respectively.