Mubasher: Qatar's trade surplus hiked 27.7% year-on-year to QAR 35.83 billion during the fourth quarter of 2017, according to the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS).
Total exports and re-exports of the world's richest country per capita jumped 20.6% to QAR 68.47 billion in Q4-17, up from QAR 56.78 billion in the same period a year earlier.
The rise of the trade surplus was ascribed to higher mineral fuel exports by 25.2% with an amount of QAR 11.7 billion, in addition to a surge in non-edible oils which made up 73.7% of exports.
On the other hand, imports of the world’s biggest LNG exporter rose 13.6% to QAR 32.64 billion in the last three-month period of 2017 versus QAR 28.73 billion the prior corresponding period.
The European Union (EU) acquired 10.1% of Qatar’s exports followed by the GCC countries which accounted for 3.8%.
The EU also acquired 25.9% of the the gas-rich nation's total imports, while the GCC made up only 7%, the ministry said.
