The value of Bahrain’s national origin exported goods reached BD230 million ($606.1 million) during July compared to BD229 million in the same month of 2018, marking an increase of 0.4 per cent, said the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA).
The top 10 countries account for 76 per cent of this figure, with other countries making up the remaining 24 per cent, the iGA said in its foreign trade report of July.
Saudi Arabia ranked at the top of the list of countries to which Bahrain exported, with total exports valued at BD46 million. The US came in second with BD38 million, and UAE third with BD21 million. Valued at BD33 million, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were the top products exported in July 2019; aluminium wire was second with a total value of BD25 million; and unwrought aluminium alloys third with BD19 million.
The value of re-exports increased by 58 per cent, reaching BD76 million during July 2019, up from BD48 million in the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 92 per cent of the total re-exported value, with other countries making up the remaining 8 per cent.
Saudi Arabia ranked at the top of the list of re-exporters with a total value of BD31 million. UAE was second with BD22 million, and China third with BD6 million.
Gold ingots was the top product re-exported from Bahrain, with its value totalling BD11 million. Four-wheel drive cars was second at BD9 million, and cigarettes containing tobacco and concentrates third at BD6 million. The trade balance, which is the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit of BD188 million during July of 2019 versus BD207 million for the same month of the previous year, decreasing by 9 per cent.
The value of imports increased by 2 per cent reaching BD493 million during July 2019, compared to BD484 million for the same month in the previous year. The top 10 countries exporting to Bahrain accounted for 70 per cent of the imports value, with other countries accounting for the remaining 30 per cent.
According to the report, China is ranked as the top country in terms of exports to Bahrain, which total BD122 million; Australia was second with BD40 million, with the UAE ranking third with BD28 million.
Floating or submersible drilling platforms emerged as the top product imported to Bahrain, valued at a total of BD67 million, while non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were second at BD40 million. Aluminium oxide was the third most imported product with BD33 million.
