Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi's non-oil trade surged 35.3 per cent in the second quarter compared with the same period last year, a report by the Abu Dhabi Statistics Department (Scad) showed.

It also revealed that the total value of non-oil foreign trade for the second quarter rose by Dh8.99 billion (35.3 per cent) compared with the same period of 2010.

According to the report, imports soared by Dh4.29 billion (20.1 per cent) in the second quarter while non-oil exports increased by Dh4.31 billion (more than 100 per cent) and re-exports by Dh390 million (15.4 per cent).

Scad's report, which was issued yesterday, revealed that imports contributed 74.3 per cent of foreign trade during the second quarter, while non-oil exports and re-exports contributed 17.3 per cent and 8.4 per cent respectively.

Mohammad Amerah, an economist and adviser at the Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the increase was mostly driven by the resurgent export-import sectors.

"The rate of growth is a positive indicator of the success of the policy of economic diversification pursued by Abu Dhabi and the UAE," Amerah said.

"Such diversification is healthy for the economy as Abu Dhabi is benefiting from the rise of oil prices and oil revenues to boost its non-oil foreign trade ties."

The report showed that Asian countries were the leading source with (44.4 per cent) of Abu Dhabi's merchandise imports during the quarter.

The value from these states increased by Dh1.66 billion (17.1 per cent) compared with the second quarter of 2010.

Imports from Europe increased by Dh1.58 billion (21.9 per cent) while those from North America declined by Dh0.24 billion (7.3 per cent) over the same period, according to the report.

Imports from Saudi Arabia increased by Dh0.73 billion (27.9 per cent) in the quarter compared with second quarter of 2010.

Manufactured goods

There were significant proportional increases in imports from South Korea (more than 100 per cent), Italy (93.6 per cent), China (89.5 per cent) and Australia (more than 100 per cent), according to Scad.

It revealed that such increases were partly offset by a decrease in imports from the US and Japan by 7.4 per cent and 55.3 per cent respectively.

According to the report, machinery and transport equipment category was the largest contributor to merchandise imports, representing 44.8 per cent of the value.

This was an increase of Dh0.14 billion (1.3 per cent) compared with the second quarter of 2010 value.

Manufactured goods also increased by Dh.01 billion (42.5 per cent) over the same period, and contributed 26.3 per cent of imports in quarter.

According to Scad, Saudi Arabia, US, Germany, South Korean, Italy, Japan, France, UK, China, and Australia led exporters to the UAE.