The State of Qatar’s merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports during last July, achieved a surplus of 20.1 billion riyals, recording an increase of 0.5 billion riyals, or 2.5 percent, on an annual basis compared to the same month in 2023, and an increase of approximately 0.6 billion riyals, or 2.9 percent, compared to June 2024.
A statement by the National Planning Council today stated that the value of total Qatari exports (which include exports of local origin and re-exports) amounted to approximately 30.2 billion riyals, an increase of 3.9 percent compared to the data for July 2023, and an increase of 2.5 percent compared to June 2024.
On the other hand, the value of commodity imports increased during last July, reaching about 10.1 billion riyals, an increase of 6.8 percent compared to the same month in 2023, and an increase of 1.8 percent compared to June 2024.
Comparing the data for July 2024 and July 2023, the value of exports of “Other Petroleum Gases and Gaseous Hydrocarbons” (LNG, Condensates, Propane, Butane, etc.) increased to approximately 17.6 billion riyals, by 3.7 percent, while the value of exports of “Petroleum Oils and Oils from Crude Bituminous Minerals” decreased to approximately 4.9 billion riyals, by 8.3 percent, and the value of exports of “Petroleum Oils and Oils Obtained from Non-Raw Bituminous Minerals” decreased to approximately 2.6 billion riyals, by 5.2 percent.
In terms of exports according to the main destination countries, China ranked first among the destination countries for Qatari exports during the month of July, with a value of approximately 5.9 billion riyals, or 19.6 percent of the total value of Qatari exports, followed by South Korea with a value of approximately 3.8 billion riyals, or 12.6 percent of the total value of exports, then India with a value of approximately 3.7 billion riyals, or 12.2 percent.
Comparing the data for July 2024 and July 2023, the group of “jet turbines and propeller turbines, other gas turbines and parts thereof” topped the list of commodity imports, with a value of approximately 0.6 billion riyals, a decrease of 31.4 percent, followed by the group of “other parts for regular aircraft or helicopters” with a value of 0.27 billion riyals, a decrease of 41.9 percent, and the group of “mixed or unmixed medicines in their dosages or forms” with a value of 0.26 billion riyals, an increase of 34.4 percent.
In terms of imports according to the main countries of origin, China ranked first among the countries of origin for Qatar’s imports during July 2024, with a value of approximately 1.5 billion riyals, representing 14.8 percent of the total value of commodity imports, followed by the United States of America with a value of 1.4 billion riyals, representing 14.3 percent, followed by Japan with a value of 0.7 billion riyals, representing 6.5 percent.
