The Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA) is pleased to publish the Press Release on "Quarterly Foreign Merchandise Trade Statistics, Q2 2020 State of Qatar", comprising quarterly data on imports, exports, re-exports, and trade balance. The bulletin presents detailed statistics of the foreign merchandise trade of Qatar by commodity and partner country. Quarter-on-Quarter (Q-o-Q) percentage changes are also provided.
Foreign Merchandise Trade Balance: In Q2 2020, Qatar recorded a merchandise trade balance surplus (difference between total exports and imports) of QR15.5 billion, 61.0% down from QR 39.9 billion in Q2 2019.
Total Exports: In Q2 2020, the value of Qatar’s total exports (including exports of domestic goods and re-exports) amounted to QR 37.8 billion, decreased by QR 28.3 billion (42.8%) compared to Q2 2019 total exports of QR 66.2 billion.
The Q2 2020 year on year (Y-o-Y) decrease in total exports was mainly due to lower exports of Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by QR 27.5 billion 48.3%, Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s. by 1.2 billion 24.5%, Manufactured Goods Classified Chiefly By Material by QR 0.5 billion 29.0% and Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 0.3 billion 76.9%. On other hand increases was recorded mainly in Machinery and Transport Equipment (mainly in re-exports) by 0.9 billion 54.1%, Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles by 0.3 billion 126.3%.
Imports: The value of Qatar’s imports in Q2 2020 was QR 22.3 billion; decreased by QR 4.0 billion (15.2%) compared to Q2 2019 imports of QR 26.3 billion.
The Q2 2020 (Y-o-Y) decrease in imports reflected decreases in Machinery and Transport Equipment by 1.2 billion 12.3%, Miscellaneous manufactured articles by QR 1.0 billion 20.5%, Crude Materials, Inedible, Except Fuels by QR 0.7 billion 54.5%, Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material by QR 0.4 billion 9.3%, Food and Live Animals by QR 0.3 billion 9.5%. On other hand increases was recorded mainly in Chemicals and Related Products n.e.s.by 0.2 billion 7.3%.
Major Export/Import Partners: During Q2 2020, Asia was the principal destination of Qatar’s exports and the first origin of Qatar’s imports, representing 73.9% and 35.4% respectively, followed by the European Union, accounting for 10.1% and 31.8% respectively, and United States of America, with 4.4% and 18.4% respectively.
