Dubai: Dubai’s foreign perfumes and cosmetics trade touched Dh18 billion in 2013, up nine per cent over 2012, according to a statement on Tuesday by Dubai Customs.
Of the Dh18 billion recorded last year, Dh11 billion was for imports, Dh2 billion for exports and Dh5 billion for re-exports.
Perfumes topped the beauty products traded through Dubai, accounting for 21 per cent of total imports valued at Dh2.4 billion, and 28 per cent of overall exports and re-exports at Dh2 billion.
“The mounting foreign trade of perfumes and cosmetics mirrors how well the emirate attracts trade flow of all kinds of commodities, by offering traders and investors top competitive advantage and cutting-edge infrastructure; ports, airports and free zones, as well as in areas of navigation, transportation, freight and logistics, combined with the highly efficient customs services we offer,” stated Ahmad Kazim, director of strategy and corporate excellence at Dubai Customs.
France was Dubai’s top trading partner in perfumes and cosmetics foreign trade, valued at Dh3 billion, followed by the USA with Dh1.5 billion, Saudi Arabia with Dh1.2 billion and the UK and Germany with Dh1 billion each.
France was the top country from which Dubai imports perfumery and beauty products, with imports standing at Dh2.8 billion, followed by the US with Dh1.1 billion, and Germany with Dh1 billion.
Meanwhile in the region, Saudi Arabia was the top export partner for these products with Dh204 million, followed by Oman with Dh143 million, and Egypt with Dh121 million.
Saudi Arabia also ranked first in terms of re-exports with Dh1 billion, followed by Kuwait with Dh424 million and the US with Dh406 million.
