KSA nonoil exports rise to SR13bn

Saudi nonoil exports rose in Nov. 2011 to SR13 billion against SR11.49 billion in the same period the previous year, an increase of 13 percent, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting an official statistical report on Thursday. “The Kingdom exported 3,619,000 tons of goods compared to 3,925,000 tons during the same period in the previous year, denoting an 8 percent decline,” a statement from the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) said. While petrochemicals worth SR4.6 billion accounted for 35 percent of exported products, plastic products closely followed with exports worth SR4.49 billion, the CDSI statement said. Other goods worth SR1.23 billion accounted for 10 percent of the exports followed by SR1.27 billion worth of re-exported goods representing 9 percent of total exports. The largest share of exports (38 percent of total nonoil exports) went to non-Arab countries in Asia, followed by Arab League member states with 15 percent. Exports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and European Union states stood at 11 percent each. Non-Arab Muslim countries accounted for 9 percent of Saudi exports and other countries accounted for another 9 percent, the report said. The statement also said China topped importers of Saudi nonoil products, followed by Singapore, UAE, India and Turkey.