The Sultanate's trade balance recorded a surplus of OMR1.77 billion at the end of April 2018, compared to OMR1.946.3 billion at the end of April 2017, according to preliminary statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
The total export of goods to the Sultanate by the end of April 2018 was OMR5.10 billion, which is an increase of 27.7% compared with that of the end of April 2017 when the exports to the Sultanate was OMR4.20 billion.In addition to this, commodity imports increased by 9% to reach to OMR3.332 billion at the end of April 2018 from OMR3.056 billion at the end of April 2017. The Sultanate's oil and gas export was recorded to be at OMR3.209 billion, which is an increase of 30.5% compared to the end of April 2017, when it had reached OMR2.459 billion.
Among the oil and gas exports by the end of April 2018, the Sultanate's crude oil export was worth OMR2.385 billion, while the value of refined oil exports was OMR295.3 million, and the value of LNG export was OMR529.5 million. These statistics show that the value of non-oil goods exports increased by 22.9% to reach OMR1.316 billion, from OMR1.070 billion at the end of April 2017. The mineral products had the highest value of non-oil goods exports, with a growth of 17.4% to reach to OMR341.6 million from OMR290.9 million at the end of April 2017. They were followed by chemical products export, which increased by 5.6% to reach OMR291.5 million from OMR276 million at the end of April 2017. Similarly, the value of exports of ordinary metal products increased by 37.3% to reach OMR305.8 million by the end of April 2018 from OMR222.7 million at the end of April 2017. Export of plastics and rubber products increased by 46.6% to reach OMR89.8 million. The export of live stocks and their products increased by 86.2% to reach OMR81.2 million, while export of other products was of OMR206.8 million.
The value of re-exports from the Sultanate increased by 23.3% to reach OMR583.4 million by the end of April 2018 compared to OMR473 million at the end of April 2017. The value of re-exports of machinery, electrical appliances and spare parts increased by 174.3% to reach OMR123.5 million. The re-export value of food and beverage products also increased by 32.3% to reach OMR51.2 million.The value of re-exports of transport equipment has decreased by 29.1% to reach OMR154.6 million. The value of metal products decreased by 9.2% to reach OMR119.2 million. Re-exports of other products was recorded at OMR134.9 million.
The Sultanate's imports of machinery, electrical equipments and spare parts reached a high value of OMR950.7 million, which is an increase of 46% over the end of April 2017, when it was OMR651 million. The Sultanate's imports of ordinary minerals and their products reached OMR571.9 million, which is an increase of 37.3% from OMR416.4 million at the end of April 2017. The Sultanate's imports of transport equipments was recorded at OMR228.3 million, which is a decrease of 47.3% from OMR433.5 million at the end of April 2017. The value of Sultanate's imports of chemical products reached OMR245.8 million, which is an increase of 7.5% from OMR228.8 million of the end of April 2017.
The value of the Sultanate's imports of mineral products decreased by 16% to reached OMR231.5 million from OMR275.7 million at the end of April 2017. The value of the Sultanate's imports of food and beverage products was recorded at OMR175.1 million, and livestock and their products was at OMR175 million. The value of natural pearls, cultured pearls and precious stones were recorded to be at OMR98.3 million.The United Arab Emirates topped the countries in non-oil exports and imports, while Qatar was on top in the re-exports from the Sultanate.
The Sultanate's non-oil export to the UAE by the end of April 2018 was OMR270.5 million, which is a decrease of 1.7% from OMR275.3 million at the end of April 2017. The value of Omani non-oil exports to Saudi Arabia was OMR191.3 million; followed by Qatar with OMR139.6 million, India with OMR114.6 million; and China with OMR86.5 million. Qatar's share of re-exports was valued at OMR133.3 million, followed by the UAE with OMR127.7 million. Iran took the third position in re-exports, with a value of OMR47.9 million; followed by the United Kingdom with OMR40 million; and Pakistan with OMR38.8 million.
With its exports worth OMR1.548 billion by the end of April 2018, the United Arab Emirates was also the top exporter to the Sultanate. It is followed by China with OMR207.8 million; and the United States with OMR148.9 million. India's export to Oman was valued at OMR144.7 million, and Italy's export was at OMR110.6 million.
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