Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi non-oil exports increased by 23.1% to SAR 59.9 billion during the first quarter (Q1) of 2021, compared to SAR 48.7 billion in Q1-20, official data showed on Wednesday.
The share of non-oil exports in Q1-21 accounted for 28.2% of Saudi Arabia’s total exports, up from 25.4% in the same quarter last year.
The overall merchandise exports from the Kingdom have increased by 10.8% to SAR 212.4 billion in Q-21, from SAR 20.7 billion in Q1-20. This increase originated mainly from oil exports, which grew by SAR 9.5 billion or 6.6%. Oil exports’ share of the total exported goods decreased to 71.8% in Q1-21 from 74.6% in Q1-20.
On a quarterly basis, the total merchandise exports increased by SAR 32.4 billion or 18% in Q1-21 compared to Q4-20, the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) said.
As for the total imports, they increased by 4.0% or SAR 5.3 billion in the first three months of 2021 to SAR 137.7 billion compared to SAR 132.3 billion in Q1-20.
The ratio of non-oil exports to imports increased to 43.5% in Q1-21 from 36.8% in the same quarter a year ago.
China remained Saudi Arabia’s main trading partner in Q1-21, with exports amounting to SAR 38.9 billion and imports standing at SAR 28.5 billion.
Last year, Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports shrank 10.8% to SAR 204.4 billion from SAR 229.2 billion in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s overall merchandise exports increased by 64% to SAR 74.7 billion in March 2021 from SAR 45.6 billion in the same month last year.
