Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia's imports declined 2.6% year-on-year or SAR 1.07 billion in December 2017, compared to the same period in the prior year.
The kingdom’s imports amounted to SAR 39.3 billion last December versus SAR 40.4 billion in the same month the previous year, the General Authority for Statistics’ (GASTAT) data revealed.
Month-on-month, the oil-rich nation's imports rose 1.3% or SAR 509 million.
Prepared foodstuffs, beverages and vinegar, and tobacco section imports fell 27.6% to SAR 1.9 billion, while transport equipment and parts thereof declined 26.7%, registering SAR 6.08 billion during the last month of 2017.
Imports of textiles and textile articles decreased 10.9% to SAR 1.3 billion, while live animals and animal products’ imports tumbled 8.4%, recording SAR 1.3 billion.
Saudi imports of arms, ammunition parts jumped 14.9%, hitting SAR 1.4 billion, followed by a 14.3% growth in base metals and their articles to SAR 3.5 billion, and a 14.3% surge in plant products, reaching SAR 2.08 billion.
China is the top exporter of Saudi Arabia with SAR 6.8 billion, registering 30.9% year-on-year increase, while the US came second with SAR 4.9 billion.
Saudi imports from the US dropped 33.9% in December, compared to the same month the year before.
