São Paulo – Qatar’s exports generated QAR 19.3 billion (USD 5.3 billion) in December 2016, a 2.6% drop in comparison to the same month of 2015, but an increase of 2.6% over November 2016. The data includes the country’s foreign sales and re-exports. According to news outlet Qatar News Agency (QNA), it was made public this Friday (27) by the Ministry of Development, Planning and Statistics.
Imports by the country totaled QAR 8.5 billion (USD 2.3 billion), a drop of 22.2% over December 2015 and of 6.1% in comparison to November 2016. As a result, Qatar registered a trade surplus of QAR 10.7 billion (USD 2.9 billion) in the month.
The performance of exports was impacted especially by the decline in shipments of petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons, according to QNA. However, sales of crude oil increased. The main destinations for Qatari products were Japan, South Korea and India.
On the other hand, the top products in imports were passenger vehicles, telecommunications equipment and aircraft parts. The main suppliers for Qatar were the United States, United Arab Emirates and China.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
