JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia's revenues from customs duties edged up by 12.2 percent in 2014 to SR27.9 billion, of which SR3.4 billion was paid by the government as subsidies for certain commodities. According to a report by the Saudi Customs, the Kingdom's imports picked up by three percent in 2014 to SR652 billion, while exports soared by eight percent to SR190 billion. Most of the Kingdom's customs revenues were collected at maritime entry points and came from the Jeddah Islamic Port and the King Abdulaziz Port Dammam, the data published by Al Eqtisadiah said. Customs personnel seized 109 million counterfeit and contraband items and goods. The report says customs duties incurred by the government in order to subsidize a number of key goods and commodities totaled SR3.4 billion in 2014. Customs duties collected at the Kingdom's seaports reached SR20.2 billion (38 percent of the total), while duties collected at airports reached SR1.9 billion, comprising eight percent of the total and land entry points netted SR1.5 billion. The report noted that the value of re-exports amounted to SR31.6 billion, down by six percent compared with 2013. Approximately 35.5 percent of the Kingdom's imports came through the Jeddah Islamic Port. — SG/Agencies
