Abu Dhabi: The foreign non-oil trade of the UAE maintained its positive growth rates during the period from January to July 2012 compared to the same period in the last year.

The preliminary statistics of the Federal Customs Authority (FCA) showed higher foreign non-oil trade at 12 per cent in January-July 2012. The total foreign trade climbed by Dh62.8 billion to Dh593.8 billion compared to 531 billion during the same period in the last year.

The data of the UAE foreign non-oil trade reflected several positive indicators within the first seven months of 2012, the FCA said in a press release yesterday. These indicators include the ever-increasing growth rates of exports at 45 per cent, with the total export increasing by Dh19.7 billion to Dh94.7 billion compared to Dh65 billion in the same period of the last year.

The imports soared by 12 per cent, driving the UAE non-oil imports up from Dh380 billion to Dh338.7 billion in the comparative period with an increase of Dh41.3 billion. The re-exports slid by 6 per cent to Dh119.1 billion for the same period.

The higher-than-ever growth rates in exports reflect good leadership efforts to improve the competitiveness of the national products in global markets, the FCA said. It also reflects how the national producers want to expand their presence in global markets in order to be in line with the UAE commercial and economic position in the world.

In terms of weight, the FCA said, the UAE total foreign trade hit about 71.4 million tons in the first seven months of 2012, including 32.5 million tons in imports, 32.8 million tons in exports and 6.2 million tons in re-exports.

The daily average weight of the consignments (exported, imported and re-exported) processed by different customs ports hit about 298 thousand tons per day (60 thousand tons per hour).

The FCA stressed that the increasing foreign trade in terms of weight reflects the efficiency of the ports in processing consignments from and to the UAE, as the local customs departments are keen to apply the best practice in customs procedures, inspection, examination and services as well as applying modern electronic systems in this regard.

“The UAE foreign trade with the outside world hit about Dh95 billion in July 2012 alone, including Dh58.6 billion in imports, Dh17.7 billion in exports and Dh18.6 billion in re-exports,” the FCA added.

The trade regional structure was stable in the same period, the FCA said. Asia, Australia and Pacific maintained its top place among the UAE most notable partners in non-oil foreign trade. The total trade of the UAE with this region reached Dh253.5 billion at 44 per cent of the total trade.

Europe came second with Dh160 billion at 27 per cent of the total, then the Middle East and North Africa with Dh84.8 billion (15 per cent) and America and the Caribbean with 52 billion (9 per cent). Western and Central Africa region came in the fifth place with Dh17 billion (2.9 per cent) and finally the COMESA with Dh15.6 billion (2.7 per cent).

The UAE non-oil foreign trade with the states of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) hit Dh53 billion, including Dh21.8 billion in imports, Dh14.1 in exports and Dh17.2 billion in re-exports, the FCA said in the press release.

Saudi Arabia maintained its top place among the UAE trade partners in the GCC in the comparison period, the FCA said. The UAE-KSA trade hit about Dh17.7 billion with 33.4 per cent of the total trade with the GCC states. Oman came second with Dh12.5 billion (23.6 per cent), then Kuwait with Dh11.2 billion (21.1 per cent), Bahrain with Dh6 billion (11.4 per cent) and finally Qatar with Dh5.6 billion (10.6 per cent).

The UAE total foreign trade with the Arab countries hit about Dh87 billion in the first seven months of 2012, including Dh40 billion in imports, Dh20 billion in exports and Dh27 billion in re-exports.

The initial statistics showed that gold, diamond, jewels and jewellery, cars and phones are the best ten selling goods in the UAE non-oil foreign trade, in form of imports, exports and re-exports.

“Gold tops the imports in the comparison period with Dh74.2 billion, followed by Dh23.5 billion, then jewels and jewellery with Dh22.2 billion and cars with Dh21.8 billion and aerial vehicles with Dh8.8 billion”, the FCA said.

“Gold is also on the top of the exports in the comparison period with Dh52.8 billion, followed by polyethylene and polypropylene with Dh4.3 billion and jewels and pieces of jewellery with Dh3.4 billion and the crude aluminium with Dh2.6 billion and petroleum and other oils with Dh1.9 billion,” the FCA added.

Diamond, the FCA said, came at the top of re-exports in the comparison period with Dh23.5 billion, then jewels and pieces of jewellery with Dh18.4 billion, cars with Dh9.8 billion, phones with Dh7.3 billion and parts and accessories of locomotives with Dh3 billion and gold with Dh2.3 billion.

According to the FCA, the total trade in markets and free zones hit about Dh9.7 billion in the seven months, including Dh4.7 billion in imports, Dh768 million in exports and Dh4.1 billion in re-exports.