The UAE's non-oil foreign trade maintained a sturdy growth of 8 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) till November 30, 2010.

The preliminary statistical data of Federal Customs Authority (FCA) confirmed that the value of UAE non-oil foreign trade jumped Dh4.5 billion to Dh62.1bn from Dh57.6bn in the period a year ago.

FCA announced that the preliminary statistical data for November 2010 reflected a 9 per cent rise in imports to Dh40.9bn as compared to Dh37.3bn in November 2009. Exports decreased slightly by 3 per cent from Dh6.5bn in to Dh6.2bn. Similarly, re-exports recorded a Y-o-Y growth rate of 10 per cent to Dh15.4bn from Dh14bn.

According to FCA, India, China, Germany, US, Japan, UK, Italy, France, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were the top ten exporters to the UAE in November 2010 with a total value of Dh25.4bn, or 63 per cent of UAE's imports.

Top non-oil exports were to  Switzerland, India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and the US with Dh4.6bn, accounting for 75 per cent of UAE's exports.

Meanwhile, India, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, France, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the US, Hong Kong, and Oman topped the list of re-exports with Dh11.1bn, representing 70 per cent of UAE re-exports.

The total value of UAE-GCC non-oil foreign trade hit Dh4.1bn in November 2010, with Dh1.8bn imports, Dh704 million exports and Dh1.6bn re-exports. Saudi Arabia maintained its first rank among GCC trading partners with Dh1.7bn.

Bahrain came second with Dh720m, followed by Oman (Dh709m), Qatar (Dh536m) and Kuwait (Dh448m). The FCA also pointed out: "The total foreign trade volume of the UAE with the Arab countries in terms of value amounted to Dh8.1bn in October 2010, with Dh3.7bn worth of imports, Dh1.2bn worth of exports and Dh3.2bn worth re-exports. Saudi Arabia topped the list in terms of non-oil trade with the UAE, followed by Iraq, Libya, Sudan, while Djibouti tailed the list."

The preliminary statistical data of November 2010 showed that gold took the first position among imports, with a value of Dh5.4bn. It was followed by diamond with Dh2.9bn, cars (Dh2.4bn), ornaments and jewellery (Dh1.7bn), telephone sets (Dh574m), in addition to spare parts and accessories of tractors, vehicles for special uses, passenger vehicles and goods vehicles (Dh537m).

Gold also took the first spot in the exports list with Dh3bn. It was followed by waste and scrap of precious metals or ordinary metals with Dh356m, then sugar cane or sugar beet (beet) (Dh224m).

In re-exports, diamond came first with a total value Dh4bn, followed by ornaments and jewellery and related parts (Dh1bn), cars (Dh954m) and telephone sets (Dh595m).

The total trade volume of UAE free zones and markets amounted to Dh747m, the FCA concluded.