Saudi exports surge 6.5% to SR 1.45 trillion

Saudi commodity exports rose by 6.5 percent last year valued at SR 1.45 trillion compared to SR 1.36 trillion in 2011, according to a report released by the Central Department of Statistics and information (CDSI).
Based on the CDSI report, the value of Saudi imports increased by 18.2 percent to reach SR 583.47 billion compared to SR 493.44 billion in 2011.
In 2012, the trade balance achieved a surplus of SR 873 billion compared to SR 874 billion in 2011, the report said.
The value of nonoil exports stood at SR 190.95 billion which represented 32.73 percent of the Kingdom’s total imports in 2012. For comparison reasons, nonoil exports of the Kingdom valued at SR 41.14 billion in 2003, which represented 26.31 percent of the total imports at the time, the report said.
The value of commodities imported from the GCC countries stood at SR 38.80 billion in 2012 compared to SR 32.13 billion in 2011, an increase of 20.8 percent, it said. Meanwhile, Saudi exports to the GCC countries valued SR 84.43 billion compared to SR 82.52 billion in the previous year, an increase of 2.3 percent, the report said.
According to the report, the volume of Saudi exports to the following group of countries in the year 2012 were as follows: Asian countries (non-Arab and Islamic) SR 784.39 billion, North American countries SR 218.09 billion, European Union SR 176.21 billion, GCC SR 96.34 billion, Islamic countries (non-Arab) SR 62.54 billion, other countries SR 118.91 billion. The overall exports stood at SR 1.45 trillion.
Meanwhile, Saudi imports from different counties in 2012 stood as follows: Asian countries (non-Arab and Islamic) SR 198.43 billion, EU countries SR 147.52 billion, N. American countries SR 87.34 billion, GCC SR 38.80 billion, Islamic countries (non-Arabs) SR 30.85 billion, and other countries SR 80.50 billion. Total imports stood at SR 583.47 billion, the report said.