Bahrain national origin exports reach $2.7bln

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Bahrain’s exports of domestically produced goods (national origin exports) amounted to BD1.018 billion ($2.71bn) during the first quarter of 2024, shows the latest Foreign Trade report from the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA).

The report by the iGA shows that the top 10 trading partners accounted for 72pc of the total national origin export value during the quarter with the remaining 28pc claimed by other countries.

The analysis also includes data on balance of trade, imports and re-exports.

Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, accounting for a value of BD270m (27pc), followed by the UAE with BD131m (13pc) and the US with BD83m (8pc).

Unwrought aluminium alloys emerged as the top product exported during Q1-2024 amounting to a value BD250m and claiming a 25pc share of the total. Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates alloyed were second with a value of BD240m (24pc) and aluminium wire not alloyed was third with BD51m (5pc).

The report found that the value of non-oil re-exports increased by 11pc to reach BD206m during the quarter, when compared with BD186m for same quarter in 2023.

The top 10 trading partners accounted for 86pc of the re-exported value.

Emerging as the leading market for re-exports from Bahrain, the UAE accounted for a share of BD78m (38pc), followed by Saudi Arabia with BD44m (21pc) and Singapore coming third with BD21m (10pc).

Turbo-jets emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with a value of BD43m (21pc), followed by gold ingots netting BD10.3m (5pc) and four wheel drive vehicles in third place with BD10.1m.

The report said value of non-oil imports increased by 5pc to BD1.497bn during Q1-2024 compared with BD1.431bn in the same quarter last year with the top 10 trading partners accounting for 69pc of the total import value.

According to the iGA, China was the top exporter to Bahrain with BD211m (14pc), followed by the UAE with BD134m (9pc) and Australia in third place with BD128m (8pc).

Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a value of BD128m while other aluminium oxide was second with BD116m and private cars in third place with BD53m.

The trade balance, or the difference between exports and imports, showed an increase in the value of the deficit totalling BD273m during Q1-2024 from BD241m for the same quarter of the previous year.