UAE non-oil trade grows to Dh320.3 billion in 4 months

UAE non-oil foreign trade maintained positive growth rates in the first four months of this year rose by Dh 17.3 billion to Dh 320.3 billion compared to Dh 303 billion in the period of comparison. The FCA initial statistics showed that exports increased by 10per cent from early January to late April this year, raising the UAE non-oil exports by Dh 18.4 billion from Dh 190.6 billion in 2011 to Dh 209 billion in the same period of this year.“The exports grew within the above period by 33 per cent from Dh 35.1 billion to Dh 46.9 billion, while re-exports hit Dh 64.4 billion in this period”, said the FCA. In terms of weight, the UAE total foreign trade hit about 31.8 million tons in 2012 January- April, including 17.5 million tons in imports, 11.2 million tons in exports and 3.1 million tons in re-exports. The daily average weight of consignments (exported, imported and re-exported) processed by different customs outlets hit about 132 thousand tons per day (17 thousand tons per hour). “In April alone, the UAE foreign trade hit about Dh 81.8 billion, including Dh 52.7 billion in imports, Dh 12.5 billion in exports and Dh 16.6 billion in re-exports”, the FCA said. Asia-Pacific region, retained its first place among the UAE top non-oil foreign trade partners with a total trade of Dh 145.6 billion with the UAE - 46per cent of the total trade in the first four months. Europe came in the second place with Dh 80.2 billion (25 per cent) of the total trade followed by Middle East and North Africa with Dh 43.4 billion (14 per cent), America and the Caribbean with Dh 28 billion (9 per cent), Western and Central Africa region with Dh 9.2 billion (2.9 per cent) and COMESA with Dh 8.3 billion (2.6 per cent). The total of UAE non-oil foreign trade with the Gulf Council Countries (GCC) hit Dh 26 billion in the first four months of this year. This total consisted of Dh 9.3 billion in imports, Dh 7 billion in exports and Dh 9.7 billion in re-exports. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), kept its top place among the UAE trade partners from the GCC in the first four months of this year. The UAE total trade with the KSA reached Dh 9.9 billion. Oman came in the second place with Dh 6.4 billion followed by, Kuwait with Dh 3.5 billion, Qatar with Dh 3.2 billion and finally Bahrain with Dh 3 billion. The UAE total foreign trade with Arab countries hit about Dh 44.5 billion in 2012 January- April. This total is divided into Dh 19.5 billion in imports; Dh 10 billion in exports and Dh 15 billion in re-exports. The initial statistics in this period showed that gold came at the top of the imported goods with Dh 35.7 billion, followed by diamond with Dh 15 billion, cars with Dh 12.5 billion and jewelry with Dh 10 billion. Gold, was the top among exported goods with Dh 24.4 billion, followed by polyethylene and propylene polymers in crude forms with Dh 4.7 billion, jewels and pieces of jewelry with Dh 1.5 billion and petroleum and other oils with Dh 1.1 billion. Diamond, came first in re-exports in 2012 January- April with Dh 15.5 billion, followed by jewels and pieces of jewelry with Dh 6 billion, cars with Dh 5.1 billion and mobile phones with Dh 4.3 billion. The total trade of markets and free zones hit Dh 5.1 billion for this period.