MANAMA - Bahrain’s national origin exports in the first quarter this year amounted to BD538 million, decreasing by nine per cent when compared with BD594m for the same period of the previous year, shows the latest report from the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA).

The report that includes data on balance of trade, imports, exports and re-exports (national origin) said during the first three months of the year Bahrain’s top 10 trading partners accounted for 79pc of the exported national origin value with the remaining 21pc claimed by other countries.

With a value of BD145m, Saudi Arabia was ranked the top importer of Bahraini products followed by the UAE with BD67m and the US in third place with BD63m, the iGA said.

Aluminium wires emerged as the top product exported from Bahrain with a value of BD66m followed by agglomerated iron ores and concentrates with a value of BD55m and rectangular alloyed aluminium plates in third place accounting for BD40m.

The report also found that the value of re-exports decreased by 10pc to BD118m during the quarter when compared with BD131m for the same quarter of the previous year, with the top 10 trading partners accounting for 91pc of the re-exported value.

Saudi Arabia was the leading market for re-exports from Bahrain accounting for a value of BD40m, followed by China claiming BD23m and the UAE coming third with BD15m.

Four-wheel drive cars emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with a value of BD24m, cigarettes came in second place netting BD7m followed by sedan cars in third place with BD3m.

The report said the value of imports increased by 15pc reaching BD1.293 billion during the quarter when compared with BD1.124bn for the same quarter of the previous year with the top 10 trading partners accounting for 67pc of the imports value.

According to the report, China was ranked as the top exporter to Bahrain with BD160m, followed by the UAE with BD116m and Saudi Arabia in third place with BD99m.

Aluminium oxide emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a value of BD60m while four-wheel drive cars were the second most imported at BD51m and sedan cars in third place with BD45m.

The trade balance or the difference between imports and exports amounted to a deficit of BD637m, 60pc higher than BD399m for the same quarter of the previous year.

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