The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade volume remained flat in the first nine months of last year, as sluggish global trade growth and the economic slowdown took its toll.
UAE non-oil trade reached Dh1.172 trillion in the first nine months of last year, compared with Dh1.17tn in the year-earlier period, the Federal Customs Authority (FCA) said yesterday.
Non-oil imports rose 1 per cent to Dh721.2 billion during the first nine months of last year, compared with Dh713.1bn a year earlier.
Gold and semi-processed gold was the top import item, representing 12 per cent of the value of non-oil imports, followed by mobile phones and cars.
Non-oil exports rose by 6 per cent to Dh149.1bn compared with Dh140.5bn a year earlier. Gold topped exports, representing 29 per cent of the value of total non-oil exports. It was followed by raw aluminium, ornaments and jewellery and ethylene polymers.
Re-exports reached Dh301.4bn during the first nine months of last year, topped by mobile phones and followed by non-composite diamonds and ornaments and jewellery.
In terms of trade partners, Asia, Australia and the Pacific region accounted for 42 per cent of the total UAE non-oil trade. Europe was second with a 23 per cent share, followed by Mena with a 19 per cent share.
dalsaadi@thenational.ae
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