The value of Qatar’s non-oil exports jumped 4.8% month-on-month from QR2.1bn to QR2.2bn in February 2018, Qatar Chamber said in its latest report.
The report, Qatar Chamber said, was prepared based on the 2,620 certificates of origin issued by its Research & Studies Department and Member Affairs Department in February 2018.
In February, the report said Qatar exported goods and services to 62 countries compared to 59 in the previous month.
Countries receiving Qatar’s non-oil exports included 12 Arab countries, including those in the GCC; 13 European countries, including Turkey; 17 Asian countries, excluding Arab countries; 17 African countries, excluding Arab countries; and three countries in North and South Americas.
Oman remained as Qatar’s top non-oil exports destination in January, accounting for QR1.17bn or 54.4% of the total exports. It was followed by Hong Kong with almost QR121.85mn or 5.62% and Germany with QR118.94mn or 5.5%.
Turkey received QR104mn or 4.8% of the total exports followed by Switzerland with QR98.6mn or 4.5%. The rest of the receiving countries included the Netherlands, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and China.
“It is clear that 89.22% of the total value of exports were received by the first 10 abovementioned countries,” the report said.
GCC countries as an economic bloc were the top destinations of Qatari exports accounting for 55% of the total exports or QR1.19bn. Most of them were received by Oman and Kuwait, the report said.
This was followed by European countries, including Turkey with 20.1% of the total value or QR435m. Asian countries imported goods worth QR402.4mn or 18.6% of the total non-oil exports.
Arab countries received goods amounting to QR74mn or 3.4%, while North America imported goods worth QR46.1mn or 2.1%. African countries received QR16.2mn worth of imports followed by South America with QR 0.2mn, the report said.
Qatar Chamber director general Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi said the “quantum leap” in non-oil exports “affirmed the steadfastness towards achieving the self-sufficiency and economic dependence.”
“Despite the unfair siege enforced on Qatar, the country continued to implement its strategies aimed at promoting economic growth and enhancing the outward trade, as well as opening new channels of co-operation at all fields with friendly countries.
Qatar’s economy is still rapidly growing, thanks to the directives of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani,” he noted.
Al-Sharqi: Opening new channels of co-operation at all fields with friendly countries.