The value of Saudi exports of nonoil commodities for the month of September 2013 reached SR17.5 billion, up 4.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, an official report said.

Meanwhile, Saudi imports were down by 5 percent to SR48.5 billion compared to the figures of the same period, according to data issued by the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI). Exports of petrochemical products ranked first capturing 34.46 percent of the total nonoil exports valued SR6.04 billion, followed by plastic products at 31.25 percent at SR 5.48 billion, and transport equipment and parts thereof with 12.08 percent of the total value of exports, the report said.

Machines and electric equipment topped the list in value of all Saudi imports at SR11.94 billion, capturing 24.62 percent of the total imported items, followed by transport equipment at SR8.90 billion (18.36 percent), minerals and related products at SR6.33 billion (13.07 percent) of imports in September, according to the report.

China ranked first among countries mainly receiving the Kingdom’s nonoil exports, acquiring 14.16 percent of Saudi’s total exports, followed by the UAE at 10.46 percent and Singapore at 6.96 percent.

In terms of the Kingdom’s imports, America ranked first by 13.66 percent of total imports, followed by China with 12.9 percent and Germany at 8.04 percent, the report said.