UAE is Oman's top non-oil trade partner

Muscat: The UAE was the leader among countries trading in non-oil products with Oman during the first quarter of this year as the Sultanate's foreign trade experienced a 50.4 per cent rise in the total value of commodity exports to Dh30.72 billion as of the end of March, compared to the same period in 2007, according to the statistical bulletin issued by the Ministry of National Economy.

The total value of exports amounted to 3.22 billion Omani riyals (Dh30.72 billion) as of the end of March, against 2.14 billion riyals during the same period in 2007.

This rise was attributed to a 45.6 per cent increase in non-oil exports, which amounted to 440.4 million riyals at the end of March against 302.5 million riyals during the same period in 2007.

Re-export

Re-exports rose by 82.5 per cent to 430 million riyals against 235.6 million riyals during the same period in 2007.

The country's oil and gas exports rose by 46.6 per cent to 2,355.6 million riyals against 1,607 million riyals during the same period in 2007, the bulletin said.

The UAE topped the countries importing Omani non-oil products with 189.9 million riyals worth of commodities in the first quarter, followed by India with 39.9 million riyals and South Korea with 33.6 million riyals.

The UAE also topped the countries importing Omani re-exports with goods worth 268.8 million riyals followed by Iran with 44.3 million riyals and Ukraine with 8.5 million riyals.