Dubai’s direct non-oil trade has continued its increase at the end of the third quarter of 2010. It has reached 425 billion dirhams, with an increase of 19% compared to the same period in the last year that generated 358 billion dirhams.

H. E. Ahmed Butti, the Executive Chairman of Ports, Free Zone and Customs Corporation, General Director of Dubai Customs said that all Dubai’s non-oil trade indicators have showed positive results during the period from January to September 2010, and that meant a continuous economic recovery and improvement.

HE explained that both exporting and re-exporting activities have hit a record in the nine-month period of this year compared to the same period over the last five years.

Director General of Dubai Customs added that statistics showed that carried out non-oil exports value has exceeded 50 billion dirhams with the end of the third quarter of 2010, which means an increase of 38% compared to the same period of last year which recorded 36.5 billion dirhams of exports.

HE said that these figures reflected the competitive potency of the UAE local products in the international markets, and their high quality, and its diversified production base which provides exporters with different options.

HE Ahmed Butti said that re-export activity has grown considerably during the same period with a value that reached 106 billion dirhams, which forms an increase of 22% compared to the same period last year that could generate 87 billion dirhams. HE believes that the improvement in re-export activity reflects the success of the infrastructure and regulation system that Dubai managed to provide in order to meet the needs and expectations of investors and stakeholders in boosting their trade activities within the emirate.  

The value of Dubai imports from international markets reached 2689 billion dirhams at the end of the third quarter of 2010 with an increase estimated at 14% compared to the same period of the last year in which imports were valued at 235 billion dirhams.

Director General of Dubai Customs said that the increase of imports also reflects the increasing purchasing power in the local markets which opens the way to many large investment opportunities in business sector in Dubai and other parts of the UAE.