DOHA: Qatar trade surplus expanded to QR12.8bn in November, a 32 percent jump from a year ago and 54.8 percent surge from the previous month, a preliminary data released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics showed yesterday. In November 2017, the total exports of goods, including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports, amounted to around QR21.8bn, an increase of 15.9 percent compared to November 2016, and increase by 3.8 percent compared to October 2017. November, reflecting an increase of 6.2 percent. The value of petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (crude) reached nearly QR3.7bn, up 23.5 percent and petroleum oils & oils from bituminous minerals (not crude) reached QR2.3bn, a 142.8 percent jump.
In November, South Korea was at the top of the countries of destination of Qatar’s exports with close to QR4.2bn, a share of 19.1 percent of total exports, followed by Japan with almost QR3.5bn and a share of 16.1 percent, India with about QR2.7bn, accounting for 12.3 percent of total exports.
The group of ‘Motor cars & other passenger vehicles’ was at the top of the imported group of commodities, with QR0.5bn, showing a decrease of 39.2 percent compared to November 2016. In second place was ‘turbojets, turbo propellers & other gas turbines’ with QR0.4bn, showing an increase by 5.5 percent and in third place was ‘electrical apparatus for line telephony/telegraphy, telephone sets etc’, with QR0.3bn, an increase of 27.1 percent.