21/10/2014 06:12 AST
The total value of exports from Oman for the first half of 2014, including oil and gas, non-oil products and re-exports recorded a decline of 9.6 per cent, amounting to OMR10 billion, compared to OMR11 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2013.
Recently released trade and export statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) revealed that the fall is due to a decrease in the value of oil and gas exports by 9.7 per cent, declining from OMR7.3 billion exported in the first half of 2013 compared to OMR6.6 billion in the same period of 2014.
During the same period, the total value of re-exports also declined by 20.8 per cent, recording figures of OMR1.9 billion in the first half of 2013 versus OMR1.5 billion in the same period this year.
Within the export categories, the only increase recorded during the first half of 2014 was in the non-oil exports which grew by 3.3 per cent, totaling OMR1.85 billion compared to OMR1.79 billion recorded in the same period last year.
The growth in non-oil exports is due to the increase in the value of mineral product exports by 4.6 per cent, rising from OMR510 million by the end of June 2013 to OMR534 million by the end of June 2014. Exports of plastic and rubber products also made a major contribution in the growth, increasing by 34.3 per cent from OMR130 million exported by the end of June 2013 to OMR175 million by the end of June 2014.
According to the NCSI report, the total value of merchandise imports through sea, land and air outlets declined by 13.6 per cent at the end of first half of 2014 totaling OMR5.58 billion when compared to OMR6.46 billion in the same period last year. The total volume of merchandise imports by weight also registered a drop of 17.2 per cent in the first half of 2014 totaling 11.2 million tonnes versus 13.5 million tonnes by the end of June 2013.
The total value of merchandise imports through sea outlets declined at the end of the first half this year by 21.6 per cent to OMR3.58 billion compared to OMR4.57 billion during the same period of 2013.
Meanwhile, by volume, imports by sea declined by 17.6 per cent to 6.78 million tonnes in the first half of 2014, as compared to 8.24 million tonnes in the same period last year. On the other hand, the value of merchandise imports arriving via land outlets grew by 19.7 per cent, recording OMR1.57 billion in the first half this year compared to OMR1.31 billion in the same period last year. However, the volume by weight declined by 16.2 per cent, dropping from 5.25 million tonnes in the first half of 2013 to 4.4 million tonnes during the same period in 2014.
During the same period, the total value of merchandise imports arriving via air outlets declined by 25.8 per cent, recording OMR426 million compared to OMR574 million in the first half of 2013. Additionally, the volume of air imports by weight recorded a drop of 51.1 per cent, with 23,800 tonnes recorded by the end of June 2014, compared to 48,700 tonnes during the same period in 2013.
Times of Oman
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