Bahrain’s value of imports increased by 15 per cent as it reached BD1.293 billion ($3.43 billion) during first quarter of 2018 compared to BD1.124 billion ($2.98 billion) for the same quarter of the previous year, said a report.

The top 10 countries account for 67 per cent of the imports value and the rest other countries, said the foreign trade report by Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) for the first quarter of 2018, which encompasses balance of trade, imports, exports and re-exports (national origin).

According to the report, China was ranked as the top exporter to Bahrain with BD160 million ($424.35 million); UAE came second with BD116 million ($307.6 million), whereas Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranked third with BD99 million ($262.56 million).

Aluminium oxide emerged as the top product imported to Bahrain with BD60 million ($159.13 million), while the four-wheel drive cars as the second with BD51 million ($135.26 million). Sedan cars came as third products with BD45 million ($119.34 million) during first quarter of 2018.
 
Additionally, the value of the exported national origin decreased by 9 per cent as it reached BD538 million ($1.426 billion) during first quarter of 2018 compared to BD594 million ($1.57 billion) for the same quarter of the previous year.

The top 10 countries account for 79 per cent of the exported national origin value and 21 per cent for other countries.

Saudi Arabia was ranked as the first country importing from Bahrain with BD145 million ($384.5 million), UAE second with BD67 million ($177.6 million) and US comes third place with BD63 million ($167.08 million).

As for national exported products, aluminium wire emerged as the top products exported in the first quarter of 2018 with BD66 million ($175.04 million); agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were positioned second products imported with a value of BD55 million ($145.87 million); and rectangular alloyed aluminium plates stood third place for exported products with BD40 million ($106.08 million).

As for re-exported field, the value of re-exports decreased by 10 per cent as it reached BD118 million ($312.9 million) during first quarter of 2018 in comparison to BD131 million ($347.4 million) for the same quarter of the previous year. The top 10 countries account for 91 per cent of the re-exported value and 9 per cent for other countries.

Saudi Arabia was ranked as the first country to re-export from Bahrain with BD40 million ($106.08 million), China came in second with BD23 million ($61 million), and UAE came third with BD15 million ($39.78 million).

Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD24 million ($63.6 million), cigarettes came in second with BD7 million ($18.56 million), and Sedan cars finished third with BD3 million ($7.95 million).

The value of trade balance, difference between exports and imports, increased the deficit reaching BD637 million ($1.689 billion) during first quarter 2018, compared to BD399 million ($1.058 billion) for the same quarter of the previous year with increase of 60 per cent. – TradeArabia News Service