The value of exports through Abu Dhabi ports increased by 14.8 per cent from Dh24 billion ($6.5 billion) in the first quarter (Q1) 2018 to Dh27.6 billion ($7.5 billion) in the same period of 2019, a media report said.
The business sector rose by Dh2.7 billion (11.7 per cent), the government sector by Dh496.3 million (1,887.1 per cent), and the individual sector by 67.8 per cent compared with the same period of 2018, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing statistics of the exporters’ and importers’ register – Q1 2019 released by Statistic Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD).
Value of exports decreased by Dh1.1 billion (3.9 per cent) during Q1 2019 compared with Q4 2018.
This was as a result of decreases in the value of the business sector and government sector by 4.3 per cent and 11.7 per cent respectively, while the value of the individual sector increased by 18.4 per cent over the same period.
The value of imports, the statistical report said, decreased by 7.7 per cent from Dh26.2 billion in Q1 2018 to Dh24.2 billion in Q1 2019. The business sector decreased by Dh4.1 billion (16.8 per cent) and the individual sector by Dh61.0 million (33.7 per cent), while the value of the government sector increased by 156.3 per cent during the same period.
Imports values decreased by Dh3.2 billion (11.8 per cent) during Q1 2019 compared with Q4 2018.
This was the result of decreases in the value of the business sector, individual sector by 17.1 per cent, and 34.6 per cent respectively, while the value of the government sector increased by 41.7 per cent over the same period.
The top five countries represented 83.2 per cent of total exports by the individual sector. Saudi Arabia was the top destination, with a value of Dh295.4 million, followed by Bangladesh, Yemen, Oman, and Sudan.
Italy was the main source of imports by the same sector, with a value of Dh19.2 million, followed by Japan, Oman, Germany, and United Kingdom, with an accumulated 62.4 per cent of the total for this sector.
Overall, the largest country by destination for business sector exports was Saudi Arabia, which attracted exports from Abu Dhabi worth Dh9.4 billion, it was followed by Kuwait, China, India and Bahrain, with 63.1 per cent of the total business sector export.
By contrast, the top five countries contributed 52.1 per cent of total imports of the same sector. Saudi Arabia was the largest country by origin with Dh3.1 billion, followed by Japan, United States of America, Congo and China.
The top five countries accounted for 98.4 per cent of the total exports by the government sector. Greece ranked first in terms of value, with exports worth Dh467.2 million, followed by Tunisia, United States of America, Italy, Ethiopia and France.
Russian Federation ranked first in imports by the same sector with a value of Dh1.9 billion, followed by France, United States of America, Italy and Spain, while these five countries represented 95.1 per cent of the total value of imports by this sector.