Dubai: The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade grew 22 per cent to Dh600.1 billion during the first eight months last year, up from Dh492.5 billion recorded during the same period in 2010, according to a latest report by the UAE Federal Customs Authority (FCA).

Imports also recorded a 22 per cent growth to Dh386 billion up from Dh317.5 billion while exports jumped 40 per cent for the same period to Dh75.2 billion from Dh53.6 billion.

Re-exports, however, experienced a growth rate of 15 per cent to go up from Dh121.4 billion in the first eight months of 2010 to Dh139 billion for the same period last year.

UAE total non-oil foreign trade in August, 2011 grew 14 per cent to Dh76.2 billion compared to Dh66.5 billion recorded in August 2010.

However, weight-wise, UAE total foreign trade in August, 2011 has hit 6.8 million tonnes, of which 4.3 million tonnes in imports, 1.9 million tonnes in exports and 641,000 tonnes in re-exports.

India, China, the US, Japan, Germany, South Korea, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, and France respectively, topped exporters’ list to the UAE in August, 2011 with a total value of Dh29.4 billion or 60 per cent of the UAE total imports. In exports, India, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, South Africa, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, and Hong Kong, respectively, spearheaded importers from the UAE with Dh7.7 bln, accounting for 74 per cent of the UAE exports.

Meanwhile, India, Iran, Belgium, Iraq, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Kuwait, and Qatar topped the list in terms of re-exports with Dh12.4 billion, representing 73 per cent of the UAE total re-exports.

The total value of UAE-GCC non-oil foreign trade hit Dh4.8 billion in August, 2011, of which Dh2.2 billion in imports, Dh1.1 billion in exports and Dh1.5 billion in re-exports.

Saudi Arabia maintained its first rank among GCC region’s trading partners with a total value of Dh2 billion in August, 2011. Kuwait came second with Dh799 million, followed by Oman (Dh727 million), Bahrain (Dh679 million), and Qatar (Dh559 million).

“UAE total foreign trade with Arab countries in terms of value amounted to Dh9.5 billion in August, 2011, with Dh5 billion worth of imports, Dh1.8 billion worth of exports and Dh2.7 billion of re-exports. Saudi Arabia topped the list of Arab states in terms of non-oil trade with the UAE, followed by Iraq, Morocco, Sudan, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, and Comoros tailed the list.”

The preliminary statistical data of August, 2011 showed that gold ranked first among imports with a value of Dh9.4 billion, followed by diamond with Dh4.2 billion, cars with Dh2.6 billion, ornaments and jewelry with Dh1.3 billion, and telephone sets Dh659 million.

Gold, according to FCA, also came first among exports in August, 2011 with Dh6.6 billion, followed by petroleum oils and other derivatives with Dh334 million, and ornaments and jewelry with Dh173 million.

In re-exports, diamond came first with a total value of Dh5.2 billion, ornaments and jewelry and related parts with Dh934 million, cars (Dh931 million) and telephone sets (Dh784 million).

The total trade volume of UAE free zones and markets in August, 2011 amounted to Dh1.3 billion.