Exports touch BD2.3bn

TDT/Manama

The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) issued its foreign trade report of year 2019, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports.

The value of imports decreased by 11 per cent, reaching BD 4.984 billion during year 2019 compared to BD 5.594 billion for the same previous year.

The top 10 countries accounted for 68 per cent of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for just 32pc.

According to the report, China ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD777 million, Australia was second with BD352m, and the United Arab Emirates was third with BD349m.

Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD380m, while aluminium oxide was second with BD340m, and four-wheel drive cars third with BD206m.

The value of exports of national origin increased by .52pc to BD2.298 billion during year 2019, compared to BD2.286 billion for the same previous year.

The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 77pc of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 23pc.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD534m from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the United States of America was second with BD284m and United Arab Emirates third with BD272m.

Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top products exported during year 2019 with BD421m, aluminium wire was second with a value of BD201m, and unwrought aluminium alloyed third with BD191m.

The total value of re-exports increased by 54pc to reach BD795m fourth quarter 2019, compared to BD515m for the same previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 87pc of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 13pc. 

The United Arab Emirates ranked first with BD268m, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia second with BD229m, and China third with BD70m.

Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD103m, gold ingots came in second place with BD95m, and agglomerated iron ores and concentrates came third with BD79m.

The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit totalling BD1.892bn during year 2019 compared to BD2.793bn for the same quarter the previous year, an improvement of the trade balance by 32pc.