Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR25.7bn in December 2021, registering an increase of about QR17.1bn or 198.9 percent compared to December 2020.
According to preliminary figures of the value of exports of domestic goods, re-exports and imports released yesterday by the Planning and Statistics Authority trade surplus has increased by nearly QR1.2bn or 4.7 percent compared to November 2021.
In December 2021, the total exports of goods (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR35.6bn, showing an increase of 107.8 percent compared to December 2020, and an increase of 3.8 percent com-pared to November 2021.
The imports of goods in December 2021 amounted to around QR9.9bn, showing an increase of 16.2 percent com-pared to December 2020. and increase of 1.7 percent compared to November 2021.
The year on year (December 2021 vs. December 2020) increase in total exports was mainly due to higher exports of Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (LNG, condensates, propane, butane, etc.) reaching QR23.2bn in December 2021, i.e. an increase of 147.1 percent, Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reaching QR4.4bn nearly, increase by 47.9 percent, and increase in the Petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reaching 2.7bn, 77.9 percent.
In December 2021, China was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR7.1bn, a share of 20.1 percent of total exports, followed by South Korea with almost QR5.1bn and a share of 14.4 percent, India with about QR5bn, a share of 13.9 percent.
The year on year (December 2021 vs. December 2020), the group of “Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets Etc.; Parts thereof” was at the top of the imported group of com-modities, with QR0.5bn, showing an Increase of 15.6 percent.
In second place was “Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for The Transport of Persons” with QR0.4bn, showing an Increase of 84.9 percent and in third place was “Part of balloons etc,: parts of aircraft, spacecraft etc.” with QR0.3bn, increase of 23.4 percent.
In December 2021, China was the leading country of origin of Qatar’s imports with about QR1.8bn, a share of 17.7 percent of the imports, followed by United State of America with QR1.3bn almost, a share of 13.6 percent, and United Kingdom with QR0.6bn, a share of 6.1 percent.
