Non-oil exports from OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia dropped 18.2 percent in September compared to the previous month, according to an official report published by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat on Monday, November 19.
Official statistics showed that the value of exports, including agricultural, animal, industrial and petrochemical products, dropped to $720 million in September from $880 million in August. No reason was given for the decline, but it is believed that the September 11 terror attacks in the United States has adversely affected Saudi exports, especially of petrochemical products.
The value of oil exports, estimated at $50 billion for 2001, does not figure in the statistics. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil producer and exporter with a daily output of eight million barrels. The statistics also showed that Saudi Arabia imported goods worth $1.2 billion in September, taking to $10.9 billion total imports for the first nine months of the year. — (AFP, Riyadh)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
