ABU DHABI: Preliminary statistical data of the Federal Customs Authority, FCA, revealed that the UAE’s general trade volume from January to the end of June 2017 amounted to Dhs784 billion, compared to Dhs777.6 billion during the same period of 2016, signalling a one per cent growth.

The UAE’s general trade volume kept increasing during the first six months of 2017, despite a decline in the growth rates of the global economy and an increase in the indicators of world trade decline during the year 2017.

Commissioner Ali Al Kaabi, Head of the FCA, said in a press statement on Sunday, that the UAE’s non-oil foreign trade growth reflects the importance of the country’s position in the world trade exchange map and its leadership as a regional trade centre.

Al Kaabi added, “The non-oil trade activity reflects an improvement in the UAE trade balance with many world countries and assures the confidence of traders and investors in the UAE economy.” UAE’s direct non-oil foreign trade formed 68 per cent of the total volume of general trade, valued at Dhs535.5 billion. The share of free zone trade was 32 per cent valued at Dhs248.6 billion.

The FCA preliminary data indicated that the share of imports of the UAE’s total non-oil general trade amounted to Dhs477.8 billion during the first six months of 2017.

The native gold and semi-processed gold came on top of the imported goods during the first six months of 2017, recording Dhs68 billion with a share value of 14 per cent of the total non-oil imports. Mobile phones came in second place on the list of imports at a value of Dhs44 billion at nine per cent; motor vehicles reached Dhs26.5 billion or six per cent, followed by non-composite diamonds at a value of Dhs24.5 billion, five per cent of the total non-oil imports during the said period.

WAM