The trade surplus in Qatar decreased to QAR 13.12 billion in April of 2019 from QAR 14.78 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year, as exports declined 7.8 percent to QAR 22.13 billion, dragged down by lower sales of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons (-2.1 percent); crude petroleum oils & oils obtained from bituminous minerals (-4.6 percent) and not crude petroleum oils & oils obtained from bituminous minerals (-40.7 percent). Among major trading partners, exports fell to South Korea (-2.2 percent), Japan (-26.7 percent) and China (-27.8 percent), but rose to India (23.8 percent). Imports fell 2.3 percent to QAR 9.01 billion, due to lower purchases of motor cars & other motor vehicles (-40.2 percent). Meanwhile, imports of parts of balloons; parts of aircraft & spacecraft increased (60.5 percent). Imports dropped from China (-2.2 percent) and India (-12.8 percent), but were up from the US (94.4 percent). Balance of Trade in Qatar averaged 24317.42 QAR Million from 2004 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 98671 QAR Million in August of 2012 and a record low of 4795 QAR Million in April of 2016.
Balance of Trade in Qatar is expected to be 0.00 QAR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in Qatar to stand at 14550.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Qatar Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 16450.00 QAR Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.