Doha [Qatar], March 30: Qatar's merchandise trade balance recorded a surplus of QR13 billion in February 2026, reflecting a notable year-on-year decline but a modest recovery on a monthly basis, according to the latest data released by the National Planning Council (NPC).
The trade surplus-representing the difference between total exports and imports-fell by QR4.6 billion, or 26.4 percent, compared to February 2025. However, it registered an increase of QR0.9 billion, or 7.1 percent, when compared with January 2026, indicating a partial rebound in trade performance.
Total Qatari exports, including domestically produced goods and re-exports, stood at approximately QR24.2 billion in February 2026. This marks a decline of 13.5 percent on a year-on-year basis and a 3.6 percent decrease compared to the previous month. The drop in exports was largely driven by lower revenues from the hydrocarbon sector, which continues to dominate Qatar's export profile.
A closer look at export categories shows that shipments of oil gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons-including liquefied natural gas (LNG), condensates, propane, and butane-amounted to around QR12.9 billion, reflecting a sharp decline of 21.8 percent compared to February 2025. Similarly, exports of crude petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals fell by 23.3 percent to approximately QR3.5 billion.
Meanwhile, exports of non-crude petroleum oils registered a relatively smaller drop of 5.8 percent, totaling about QR2.1 billion.
On the import side, total merchandise imports reached approximately QR11.2 billion in February 2026. This represents an increase of 8.3 percent compared to the same month last year, although imports declined significantly by 13.6 percent compared to January 2026.
In terms of import composition, motor vehicles and other passenger transport vehicles emerged as the leading import category, totaling around QR 1.2 billion-an increase of 31.5 percent year-on-year.
This was followed by imports of jet engines, gas turbines, and related parts, which stood at approximately QR0.4 billion but witnessed a steep decline of 59.5 percent.
Imports of telecommunication equipment, including telephone and telegraph apparatus and network transmission devices, reached about QR0.3 billion, marking a strong growth of 38.9 percent.
Geographically, China remained Qatar's top export destination in February 2026, accounting for QR4.5 billion, or 18.6 percent of total exports. It was followed by India with QR3.7 billion (15.3 percent), and the United Arab Emirates with QR2.1 billion (8.9 percent).
Similarly, China also led as the largest source of imports into Qatar, contributing approximately QR2 billion, or 18 percent of total imports. The United States ranked second with imports valued at QR1.3 billion (11.4 percent), followed by the United Arab Emirates at QR0.8 billion (7.3 percent).
Overall, the February 2026 trade data highlights the continued impact of fluctuating global energy prices on Qatar's export earnings, while also reflecting resilient domestic demand, as evidenced by the growth in imports of vehicles and communication equipment.
Source: Qatar Tribune
