Qatar posts 2% monthly rise in exports of petroleum gases as trade surplus reaches QR17bn in November 2023

Energy-rich Qatar saw an about 2% month-on-month jump in the shipments of petroleum gases other gaseous hydrocarbons (liquefied natural gas, condensates, propane and butane) as the country registered a trade surplus of QR16.73bn in November 2023, according to official estimates.
The Asia region accounted for more than 62% of shipments of Qatar, whose total exports (valued free on board) stood at QR26.53bn, while the total imports (cost, insurance and freight) amounted to QR9.8bn in the review period, said the figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority.
However, the trade surplus shrank 12.1% and 36.3% month-on-month and year-on-year respectively in November 2023.
The country's total exports of domestic goods amounted to QR25.56bn, which however declined 29.7% and 9.1% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in November 2023.
The country’s exports of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons were valued at QR16.64bn, which rose 1.6% on a monthly basis in November 2023.
However, the exports of crude shrank 41.5% on a monthly basis to QR3.72bn, other commodities by 3.7% to QR2.85bn and non-crude by 2.9% to QR2.36bn in November 2023.
On an annualised basis, the exports of petroleum gases were seen declining 32.6%, crude by 28.9%, other commodities by 23.7% and non-crude by 12.7% in the review period.
The share of petroleum gases in the country's total export basket was seen declining substantially on an annualised basis, while those of crude and non-crude increased in the review period.
Petroleum gases accounted for 65.1% of the total exports compared to 67.93% a year-ago period, crude 14.55% (14.41%), non-crude 9.23% (7.43%) and others 11.15% (10.26%).
In November 2023, Qatar's shipments to China amounted to QR5.42bn or 20.4% of the total exports of the country, followed by India QR3.66bn (13.8%), Japan QR2.8bn (10.6%), South Korea QR2.6bn (9.8%) and Singapore QR1.91bn (7.1%).
On a yearly basis, Qatar's exports to South Korea fell 36.07%, China 22.81%, India 14.69%, Japan 2.95% and Singapore 1.57% in November 2023.
On a monthly basis, the country's exports to China shrank 11.32% and Singapore 9.93%; whereas those to Japan surged 27.62%, India by 4.12% and South Korea by 3.74% in the review period.
Qatar's total imports showed a 2.6% and 10.1% decrease on yearly and monthly basis respectively in November 2023.
The country's imports from China amounted to QR5.42bn or 20.4% of the total imports; followed by India QR3.66bn (13.8%), Japan QR2.8bn (10.6%), South Korea QR2.6bn (9.8%) and Singapore QR1.88bn (7.1%) in the review period.
On a yearly basis, the country's imports from the US declined 27.39%, India by 25.85% and China by 8.11%; while those from Italy shot up 22.61% and Germany by 7.71% in November 2023.
On a monthly basis, Qatar's imports from India and China tanked 27.86% and 13.45%; whereas those from Germany, Italy and the US grew 50.9%, 28.77% and 3.02% respectively in the review period.
In November 2023, the group of "Turbojets, Turbo propellers and Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof" was at the top of the imported group of commodities and valued at QR1bn, which showing an annual increase of 47.9%.
In second place was "Motor Cars & Other Motor Vehicles for The Transport of Persons”, with QR0.39bn, which however declined 3.4% year-on-year in November 2023.
The "Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets Etc. and parts thereof" group saw imports of QR0.36bn, which fell 4.7% on an annualised basis in November 2023.