Doha: Qatar's merchandise trade balance recorded a surplus of QAR 14.1 billion in December 2025, a decrease of QR 4.3 billion, or 23.6 percent, compared to the same month in 2024. However, it registered an increase of approximately QR 1.6 billion, or 13 percent, compared with November 2025.
The National Planning Council released preliminary figures of Qatar's foreign merchandise trade for December 2025, covering the value of exports, including domestically produced goods and re-exports, as well as imports.
In December 2025, the total value of merchandise exports (including exports of goods of domestic origin and re-exports) amounted to around QR 26.9 billion, reflecting a 13.7% year-on-year decline compared with December 2024, while recording a month-on-month increase of 9.9% compared to November 2025.
On the other hand, the value of merchandise imports in December 2025 stood at around QR 12.8 billion, marking a year-on-year rise of 0.6% compared with December 2024, and a 6.7% month-on-month increase from November 2025.
In December 2025, Qatar's foreign merchandise trade balance, defined as the difference between total exports and imports, posted a surplus of QR 14.1 billion.
This reflects a year-on-year decline of QR 4.3 billion, or 23.6%, compared with December 2024, while marking a month-on-month increase of nearly QR 1.6 billion, or 13.0%, relative to November 2025.
On a year-on-year basis, comparing December 2025 with December 2024, exports of "petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons,” encompassing LNG, condensates, propane, butane and related products, declined to approximately QR 15.5 billion, representing a 21.0% contraction.
By contrast, exports of "crude petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals" edged up marginally to around QR 3.8 billion, registering a 0.5% increase over the same period. Meanwhile, the value of exports of "non-crude petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals" fell to roughly QR 1.9 billion, reflecting a 28.1% decline.
In December 2025, Qatar's export landscape was led by China, which secured the top destination spot with QR 5.2 billion in trade, representing 19.4% of the country's total exports. India followed as the second-largest market, contributing QR 3.8 billion (14.0%), while South Korea maintained the third position with exports valued at QR 2.1 billion, or 7.7%.
On a year-on-year basis, "Motor Cars and Other Motor Vehicles Principally Designed for The Transport of Persons" led Qatar's merchandise imports in December 2025, valued at QR 1.2 billion, marking a 26.7% increase compared with December 2024. In second place, "Turbo jets, Turbo propellers & Other Gas Turbines; Parts Thereof" rose by 16.6% to nearly QR 1.2 billion. Ranking third, imports of "Electrical Apparatus for Line Telephony/Telegraphy, Telephone Sets, and Parts Thereof" amounted to QR 0.6 billion, marking a rise of 19.1%.
Regarding imports by principal country of origin, China ranked first in Qatar's merchandise imports in December 2025, valued at approximately QR 2.4 billion, representing 18.8% of total imports.
The United States followed with imports worth QR 1.7 billion, or 13.5% of the total, while Italy ranked third with around QR 1.0 billion, accounting for 7.5% of the total.
