The UAE was ranked the 17th globall for merchandise trade for 2012, surpassing India, Sweden and South Africa, according to a World Trade Organisation report.

China topped the list of exporters, while the US came second in the “International trade statistics 2013” report.

Only five Arab economies were listed among the top 50 leading world merchandise trade exporters for 2012, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Algeria, constituting 5.7 per cent of the world’s exports value.

According to WTO secretariat estimates, the UAE exported $350 billion worth of merchandise trade, holding a 1.9 per cent share of the world’s exports, an increase of 16 per cent over 2011.

The world’s exports of merchandise trade stood at $18,401 billion in 2012, with China and US together capturing a share of 19.5 per cent.

These figures were released on the sidelines of the announcement of the 28th International Autumn Trade Fair (IATF2013), the region’s pioneer consumer goods show which was inaugurated today (December 16) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Satish Khanna, general manager of Al Fajer Information and Services, organiser of the show, said: “The WTO figures reflect the significance of the UAE market in the merchandise trade industry. The UAE is a re-export centre for not only the Middle East but also to North African and Asian markets.”

The UAE is a trading hub for consumer goods, being surrounded by fast growing markets of the Indian Subcontinent and Africa, according to Khanna.

IATF is a leading regional buyer-seller meeting ground for the consumer goods segment in the Arab region. The show will feature 200 exhibitors from 10 countries.

Attracting national pavilions from several countries including China, Taiwan and Korea, IATF13 unveils a mix of products comprising cosmetics, foodstuffs, electronics and household appliances among others. - TradeArabia News Service