The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) issued its foreign trade report for May 2021, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin) and re-exports.
The value of imports increased by 6 percent, reaching BD402m during May 2021 compared to BD378m for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 66 percent of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 34 percent.
According to the report, Brazil ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD52m; China was second with BD46m; and the Australia was third with BD31m.
Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD75m, while aluminium oxide emerged was second with BD28m, and four-wheel drive cars third with BD13m.
The value of exports of national origin increased by 60 percent to BD283m during May 2021, compared to BD176m 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 75 percent of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 25 percent.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD52m from Bahrain. Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates was second with BD45m and the China third with BD20m
Agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top products exported during May 2021 with BD60m, unwrought aluminium alloys was second with a value of BD48m and semi-finished iron and steel third with BD24m.
The total value of re-exports increased by 38 percent to reach BD55m during May 2021, compared to BD40m for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 89 percent of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 11 percent. The United Arab Emirates ranked first with BD14m, Saudi Arabia second with BD12m, and the Singapore third with BD6m.
Four-wheel drive cars as the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD9m, parts for plane engines came in second place with BD6m, and gold ingots came third with BD5m.
The trade balance, difference between exports and imports, the value of the deficit of the trade balance reached BD65m during May of 2021 versus BD162m for the same month of the previous year with an decrease of 60 percent.