The chamber said the report was based on the certificates of origin issued last June by its Research & Studies Department and Member Affairs Department. In the first half of 2017, Qatar Chamber issued 29,941 certificates of origin for several destinations in 66 international markets.
According to the report, the following is the breakdown of total value of non-oil exports in the first six months of 2017: January (QR1.4bn), February (QR1.71bn), March (QR1.83bn), April (QR1.32bn), May (QR1.42bn), and June (QR793.7mn).
In June, the report noted that non-oil exports dropped compared to the previous month “due to the unfair siege imposed on Qatar” and the closure of the Abu Samra border, Qatar’s only land border crossing to Saudi Arabia.
Despite the economic blockade, the report also emphasised that “Qatar’s non-oil exports reached their destinations except in blockading countries.”
In June, Oman topped the destination list of non-oil exports at QR297.26mn or 37.45% of the total exports for the month. This was followed by the UAE at QR98.01mn or 12.35%, Singapore (QR56.71mn or 7.15%), Germany (QR45.31mn or 5.71%), Hong Kong (QR45.15mn or 5.69%), India, Turkey, Bangladesh, the US, Algeria, and Morocco.
In June, Qatar’s non-oil exports reached 56 destinations comprising 14 Arab and GCC countries, 11 European countries, including Turkey, 13 Asian countries (excluding Arab countries), 14 African countries (excluding Arab countries), and three countries in the North and South Americas, and Australia.
The GCC received 57.07% of non-oil exports amounting to QR433.8mn followed by Asian countries, which imported QR180.1mn or 22.69%. European countries, including Turkey imported QR93.1mn worth of goods or 11.7 %, while Arab countries received QR45.2mn worth of goods or 5.7%.
Qatar Chamber director general Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi underscored the role of the public-private partnerships, which, he said, “enhanced exports of local products to world markets.”
He assured the ability of Qatar’s economy “to overcome any obstacles and to open further new markets for exports.”
Al-Sharqi: Enhanced exports.