Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s non-oil trade reached Dh792 billion in the first nine months of 2015, remaining stable compared to the same period in 2014, according to the Federal Customs Authority (FCA).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, FCA said that imports recorded a two per cent decline in the first nine months of last year, while exports jumped 25 per cent.
The share of imports of the UAE’s direct non-oil trade amounted to Dh504.4 billion in the period compared to Dh545 billion recorded in the same nine months of 2014. Native gold and semi-processed gold topped the list of imported goods, recording Dh73.3 billion (15 per cent of total non-oil imports).
Vehicles came in second place on the list of imports, with a value of Dh35.9 billion (seven per cent), followed by non-composite diamond with a value of Dh31.2 billion (six per cent).
As for exports, they reached Dh122 billion in the first nine month of the year — up from Dh97.3 billion in the same period in 2014. Gold exports came on top at a value of Dh43.7 billion, representing 36 per cent of the country’s non-oil exports.
Revenues from re-exports dropped eight per cent to reach Dh165.7 billion — down from Dh180 billion.
Looking at the UAE’s trading partners, the structure was stable, FCA said, as Asia, Australia, and the Pacific region topped the list of non-oil trade partners, with a share of Dh325.7 billion (42 per cent of the UAE’s non-oil trade).
Europe came in second place in the list of trade partners, with a share of Dh190 billion (25 per cent), followed by the Middle East and North Africa with Dh130.6 billion (17 per cent).
FCA said that the share of the UAE’s non-oil trade with GCC countries in the first nine months of the year reached Dh78.4 billion (10 per cent of trade), with Saudi Arabia topping the list of GCC trade partners. Non-oil trade between the UAE and the Kingdom reached Dh30.3 billion (39 per cent of trade with the GCC), followed by Oman (24 per cent), Qatar (14.2 per cent), and Kuwait (13.6 per cent).
