Qatar’s private sector exports reach QR15.2bn in H1, says Chamber

Qatar’s private sector exports stood at QR15.2bn in H1 2023 and QR6.1bn in the second quarter of the year.In its quarterly report issued recently, Qatar Chamber stated that private sector exports in H1 2023, which are based on the certificate of origin issued by the chamber, dropped 9% year-on-year (y-o-y) from QR16.6bn. Similarly, private sector exports in Q2 2023 dropped 30% y-o-y, the report further stated.The report showed that exports of essential and industrial oils in H1 2023 amounted to QR8.1bn or a 146% y-o-y increase from QR3.3bn. Conversely, exports of fuel commodities stood at QR3.1bn or a 17% y-o-y decrease from QR3.7bn. Exports of aluminium commodities in H1 2023 also dropped by 67% y-o-y (QR1.43bn) from QR4.35bn.Industrial gas commodities in H1 2023 amounted to QR453mn, reflecting a 40% y-o-y increase from about QR324mn. Exports of steel commodities in H1 2023, however, dropped 36% y-o-y from QR516mn to QR327mn.Petrochemicals exports stood at QR324mn, up 70% y-o-y from QR191mn in H1 2022. But chemical substances exports, which amounted to QR290.5mn, slid 47% y-o-y in H1 2023 from QR550.1mn.Paraffin exports in H1 2023 amounted to QR206.5mn, down by 47% y-o-y. Similarly, lotrene exports dropped 83% y-o-y to QR127mn. Exports of chemical fertilisers also decreased 90% y-o-y to reach QR63mn compared to QR1.39mn.These 10 commodities exported by the private sector represent 94.9% of the total value of private sector exports based on the certificates of origin issued by Qatar Chamber in H1 2023, which amounted to QR14.42bn or a 7% y-o-y decrease.The 22 Asian countries bloc, excluding the GCC and Arab countries, were at the top of economic blocs that received exports of the private sector in H1 2023, which amounted to QR9.05bn with a share of 56.60% of the total exports. This was followed by GCC states (five states), which received exports amounted to QR2.48bn or a share of 18.81% of the total value.In third place are the group of EU states (18 states) with exports totalling QR2.48bn, representing 16.32% of the total value. This was followed by 14 Arab countries, which received QR571.9mn or a 3.77% share and the US with exports worth QR112.4mn or a 0.74% share of the total exports.The grouping of African countries (33 countries), excluding Arab countries, came in sixth place, receiving 0.52% of the total exports with a value of QR78.5mn, followed by other European countries (eight countries), which received exports estimated at QR22mn or a share of 0.14%, and other American countries (12 countries) with a value of QR0.06% or QR8.6mn.The grouping of Oceania countries (two countries) registered exports amounting to QR5.63mn or 0.04% of the total exports. In H1 2023, private sector exports reached 115 countries worldwide.In H1 2023, China was at the top of the countries of destination of private sector exports with close to QR4.68mn, a share of 30.8% of the total exports. It is followed by India with almost QR2.86mn and a share of 18.8% and Oman with about QR1.85mn (12.15%).The Netherlands came in fourth place with almost QR1.42mn (9.4%) and Singapore with exports worth QR609mn (4%). Germany came in sixth place, which received exports amounting to QR594.7mn (3.9%) followed by the UAE (QR513.2mn, 3.38%), Kuwait (QR288.4mn, 1.9%), Turkiye (QR276mn, 1.8%), and Hong Kong (QR185mn, 1.22% of the total value).Together, these 10 countries accounted for 87.5% and a value of QR13.29bn of the total value of private sector exports, the report added.