The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) issued its foreign trade report of October 2019, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports.
The value of imports decreased by 17%, reaching BD425 million during October 2019 compared to BD515 million for the same month the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 68% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 32%.
According to the report, China ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD64 million; Australia was second with BD38 million; and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was third with BD35 million.
Aluminum oxide emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD36 million, while Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates was second with BD20 million, and four-wheel drive cars third with BD19 million.
The value of exports of national origin decreased by 10% to BD154 million during October 2019, compared to BD171 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 79% of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 21%.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD39 million from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates was second with BD16 million and United States of America third with BD15 million.
Unwrought aluminum alloys emerged as the top products exported during October 2019 with BD17 million; unwrought aluminum (not alloyed) was second with a value of BD15 million; and Aluminum wire third with BD12 million.
The total value of re-exports increased by 25% to reach BD74 million during October 2019, compared to BD59 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 93% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 7%. The United Arab Emirates ranked first with BD34 million, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia second with BD20 million, and China third with BD4 million.
Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD14 million, four-wheel drive cars came in second place with BD11 million, and Gold ingots came third with BD9 million.
The trade balance, the difference between exports and imports, recorded a deficit totaling BD197 million during October 2019 compared to BD286 million for the same month the previous year, an improvement of the trade balance by 31%.
Note: For more details, please visit the foreign trade page on the Bahrain Open Data Portal www.data.gov.bh.
