The total value of Saudi non-oil exports in May this year showed a 23 percent decline, accounting for nearly SR8,019 million compared to SR10,351 million during the same month last year (2008). It showed an overall decrease of SR2,332 million. Meanwhile, the overall volume of exports witnessed a 20 percent decrease, showing 3.14 million tons as compared to 3.92 million tons in May of the last year, registering a total decrease of about 780,000 tons. According to a report of the Central Department of Statistics & Information (CDSI), petrochemicals topped the Kingdom's list of exports in May with a value of SR2,260 million, accounting for 28 percent of the total exports. Plastic products came second with an amount of SR1,612 million, netting 20 percent of the total exports. These were followed by a number of other exports such as base and manufactured metals, electric equipment as well as transport equipment. The UAE topped the list of importers from Saudi Arabia followed by China, Qatar, Kuwait and India. At the level of the groups, GCC topped the list of the Kingdom's export-partners followed by non-Arab and non-Islamic Asian states, the Arab states, the European Union and then non-Arab Islamic states, respectively. The CDSI report said that the total value of the Kingdom's imports last year decreased by 16 percent to SR29, 570 compared to SR35,269 million in 2008, showing an overall decrease of SR5,699 million. The volume of imports also downed by 20 percent to 3.64 million tons compared to 4.57 million tons in the previous year, with an overall decrease of 930,000 tons. The main commodities imported during the past month were electrical machines, equipment and tools, transport machines, base and manufactured metals and foodstuffs. The Kingdom's largest import partners included the United States, China, GermanyJapan and Italy, respectively. At the level of groups, the Kingdom's import-partners included the European Union States, non-Arab non-Muslim Asian states, North American states, GCC and non-Arab Islamic states, respectively. With regard to the trade between the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the report said that the value of the national imports from the GCC countries decreased by 23 percent to SR2,119 million compared to SR2,761 million in the previous year, with an overall decrease of SR642 million.
