BD176M products of national origin exported

TDT | Manama

Bahrain exported BD176million worth of products of national origin during May, the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) announced yesterday in its foreign trade report for last month, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin) and re-exports.

The value of exports of national origin decreased by 16 per cent, compared with BD210million for the same month of last year, the iGA added. The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 76 per cent of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 24 per cent.

Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD34million from the Kingdom. The Netherlands was second with BD18million and the UAE third with BD14million.

Unwrought aluminum (not alloyed) emerged as the top products exported during May with BD36million. Unwrought aluminum alloys was second with a value of BD31million, while Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates came third with BD25million. Meanwhile, Bahrain’s value of imports decreased by 10 per cent, reaching BD378million during May, compared with BD419million for the same month last year.

The top 10 countries accounted for 67 per cent of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 33 per cent, the iGA said. According to the foreign trade report, China ranked first in imports to Bahrain, with BD67million, followed by Australia with BD38million and Brazil with BD23million.

Aluminum oxide emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD43million, while non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were second with BD26million, and four-wheel-drive cars third with BD14million. The total value of re-exports decreased by 40 per cent to reach BD40million during May, compared with BD66million for the same month of the previous year.

The top 10 countries accounted for 95 per cent of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the five per cent. Saudi ranked first with BD15million, China second with BD7million, and the UAE third with BD5million.

Four-wheel-drive cars were the top products re-exported from Bahrain with BD8million, followed by parts for aero planes with BD2.4million, and cigarettes containing tobacco with BD2.2million. The trade balance, which is the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit totaling BD162million during May, compared with BD143million for the same month of the previous year—an improvement of the trade balance by 13 per cent.