Qatar’s non-oil exports in October 2017 grew by 8.59% to reach QR1.7bn compared to QR1.57bn in the previous month, and a 3.7% increase to reach QR1.64bn year-on-year, Qatar Chamber said in its latest report.
The total value of non-oil exports from January to October 2017 stood at QR14.95bn, according to the report, which was prepared based on the 2,928 certificates of origin issued in May by Qatar Chamber’s Research & Studies Department and Member Affairs Department.
Qatar Chamber director general Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi said the increase in non-oil exports shows that the siege imposed on Qatar failed to make an impact on Qatar’s economy. “Our national companies have successfully delivered their products to world markets despite this unfair siege,” al-Sharqi said.
Al-Sharqi said industrial sector continued to top other non-oil sectors. He called upon businessmen and foreign investors “to invest more” in this sector “to build a very robust industrial base, which supports the country’s strategy to diversify income and to achieve the self-sufficiency and expand imports.”
He reiterated the Chamber’s efforts to develop the industrial sector, such as organising events like ‘Made in Qatar’, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and Industry. This year’s exhibition, slated on December 14 to 17 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, aims to promote locally-manufactured products.
The report said non-oil exports in October were distributed to 57 countries compared to 52 last month. These included 11 Arab countries and GCC; 13 European countries, including Turkey; 16 Asian countries, excluding Arab countries; 12 African countries, excluding Arab countries; and four countries in North and South America, and Australia.
The report said 88.1% of the total value of exports was received by the following countries: Oman, accounting for QR965.83mn or 56.64% of the total exports; Hong Kong with QR139.67mn or 8.19%; Turkey (QR93.92mn or 5.5%); China (QR63.13mn, 3.7%); Singapore (QR62.7mn, 3.67%); Bangladesh; Germany; India; Korea; and Kuwait.
The report said Kuwait and Oman were the first countries to receive Qatari exports amounting to 57.76% of the total exports or QR984.9mn. Most of these exports were received by Oman, it noted. Asian countries, excluding Arab countries, imported goods worth QR428.5mn, representing 25.13% of the total non-oil exports. 
European countries, including Turkey received QR169.9mn or 9.96% of the total value.
Arab countries, excluding the GCC received QR80.14mn or 4.75%. North America countries (mostly the US) received QR22.31mn of total exports, while African countries, excluding Arab countries received QR17.23mn worth of non-oil exports.