Saudi nonoil exports hit SR177bn

Saudi nonoil exports rose by 7.5 percent to SR177.2 billion in the past 10 months of the current year compared to SR164.7 billion in the same period last year, according to a financial report.
Meanwhile, Saudi imports dropped by 3.5 percent to SR511.1 billion compared to SR529.6 billion in the comparable periods, the report, filed by Al-Eqitisadiah daily based on the export-import moves, said.
On the other hand, Saudi nonoil exports dropped by 10.4 percent to SR15.9 billion in October compared to SR17.8 billion in September of the current year. Likewise, Saudi imports declined by 12.2 percent to SR45.7 billion compared to SR52.1 billion in the two compared months of the current year, according to the report.
China topped the list of countries for the most exports and imports whose share of Saudi exports amounted to 13.4 percent or SR2.14 billion in value in October. Saudi imports from China accounted for 14 percent, or SR6.4 billion in value, the report said.
The UAE was the second top importer of Saudi nonoil goods at 9.3 percent in October, or SR1.6 billion, followed by Singapore at 6.4 percent (SR1 billion), India at 5 percent (SR795 million), and Egypt at 4.1 percent (SR660 million), the report said.
In the same month the US, which recorded 13.6 percent of the total Saudi imports valued at SR6.2 billion, remained the second biggest exporter to the Kingdom, followed by Germany at 6.7 percent (SR3.1 billion), Japan and the UAE at 6.1 percent and 5.9 percent, valued at SR2.8 billion and SR2.7 billion, respectively, the report said.
Plastic products topped the Kingdom’s list of exports in October and registered 36.35 percent of nonoil exports valued at SR5.78 billion, according to a report released by the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI).
The report said the chemical products came in the second rank of nonoil exports in October and were valued at SR5.12 billion, or 32.18 percent, followed by ordinary minerals and their products by 7.61 percent, or SR1.21 billion, of the total value of exports.
Equipment, machinery and electrical goods captured the highest value of Saudi imports in October (2014) at SR11.1 billion, or 24.2 percent of the total value of imports, followed by transport materials at the value of SR9.2 billion, or 20 percent, the report added.