Non-oil exports for September 2017 fell by 12.6% to QR1.57bn from QR1.79bn recorded in August this year, said the report, which was prepared by the chamber’s Research & Studies Department and Member Affairs Department.
Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani said: “The substantial rise in exports to the normal level affirms that the unfair siege imposed on Qatar couldn’t stop or hinder the export processes for the Qatari private sector due to the robustness of the economy, wise governmental policies, and the world’s confidence in the national economy.”
While non-oil exports dropped in June, Sheikh Khalifa said “sound planning” and “strong external relations,” along with the “significant efforts made at all levels” enabled Qatar to overcome the repercussions of the siege “rapidly.”
Exports from July to September achieved “substantial growth to higher levels” before the siege, he continued.
Qatar Chamber director general Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi said: “Qatar provided host of initiatives and incentives to urge national and foreign investors to establish manufacturing enterprises to produce all goods and products, and achieve self-sufficiency and to export any surplus of production.”
He said the chamber is currently preparing a booklet that includes a biannual bulletin on the Qatar’s non-oil exports, which reviews exports statistics of during the first half of 2017.
The monthly report said Qatar’s non-oil exports in September were distributed to 52 countries compared to 58 in August. They include 10 Arab countries and the GCC, 14 European countries, including Turkey, 16 Asian countries (excluding Arab countries), 10 African countries (excluding Arab countries), and two countries in the North and South Americas. Oman maintained its position as Qatar’s top non-oil exports destination in September accounting for QR700.29mn or 44.6% of the total exports. Hong Kong trailed behind with QR127.98mn or 8.2% followed by Germany with QR113.11mn (7.2%).
Turkey settled in fourth place with almost QR95mn (6.1%) followed by the Philippines with QR81.81mn (5.2%). Coming in fifth place was the US followed by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, and India. The report said Kuwait and Oman, which received the most exports, were the top destinations of Qatari exports in the GCC reaching a total of QR712.84mn or 45.4% of the total exports.
Asian countries, excluding Arab countries, came in second place, importing QR499.19mn or 31.8% of the total non-oil exports.
In third place are European countries, including Turkey (QR230.89mn or 14.7% of the total value). North America was in the fourth place receiving QR73.224mn or 4.7%, while Arab countries settled in the fifth place, excluding the GCC with total exports of QR44.85mn, followed by African countries, which received QR8.61mn.
Qatar’s top export products include aluminium alloys, bars and molds, gas oils, iron grids, angles and poles, helium gas, chemical fertilisers and lotrene, paraffin, polyethylene, chemical substances, and plastic rolls.