The total value of the Kingdom's non-oil commodity exports in the first quarter of 2014 amounted to SR 54,824 million compared to SR 46,195 million during the same quarter of 2013, up by 18,7% from the first quarter of 2013, down 1,9% from the 4th quarter of last year, while the total weight of exports in the first quarter of 2014 reached 13,292 thousand tons compared to 11671 thousand tons in the same period of 2013, an increase of 13,9%. In a report released today, the Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) said the total value of the Kingdom's imports during the first quarter of 2014 amounted to SR 152,156 million compared to SR 156,811 million during the first quarter of 2013, down by 3%, and up by 1,7% compared to the 4th quarter of 2013, while the total weight of imports during first quarter of 2014 reached 18,606 thousand tons compared to 19,469 thousand tons during the first quarter of 2013, down 4,4%. Further, the value of exports of non-petroleum commodity amounted to SR 54, 824 million, up 36,03% compared to the value of the Kingdom's imports during the first quarter of 2014, while the value of non-oil exports during the first quarter of 2013 was SR 46,195 million by 29,46% of the value of the Kingdom's imports during the same period. The value of non-oil exports amounted to SR 202,443 million by 32,1% of the value of the Kingdom's imports in 2013, while the value of non-oil exports during 2013 was SR 57,194 million by 32,19% of the value of the Kingdom's imports during the same period. Also, the value of the Kingdom's non-petroleum exports of national origin to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during the first quarter reached SR 7,511 million compared to SR 7,694 million during the first quarter of 2013, down 2,4%, while the value of imported goods with national origin from GCC during the period amounted to SR 12,195 million compared to SR 12,598 million during the first quarter of 2013, down 3,2%. In its report, the CDSI pointed out that the value of exports of chemical industry products reached SR 18,522 million representing 33,78% of the total value of non-petroleum exports, plastics and rubber products ranked second with a value of SR 17,602 million by 32,11%, while equipment of transportation and parts thereof came in third place with 10,19% of the total value of exports. Moreover, the report said that the value of the Kingdom's imports of machinery, equipment, electrical appliances and parts thereof amounted to SR 39,572 million representing 26,01% of the total value of imports during the first quarter of 2014, which transport equipment and parts thereof ranked second with a value of SR 26,681 million representing 17,53%, and in the third place came the metals and products thereof with a value of SR 18,810 million representing 12,36% of the imports. The CDSI stressed in its report that China ranked first in terms of the value of non-petroleum exports in the first quarter of 2014 by 11,98% of the total value of exports, while the United Arab Emirates ranked second by 11,43%, followed by Singapore in the third place by 7,09%. It explained that the United States of America topped the exporting countries of the Kingdom by 13,16% of total imports, followed by China with 12,94% and Germany in the third place by 7,3%.
