Sharjah's external trade has increased by 13 per cent from Dh3.4 billion ($925 million) to Dh29.5 billion ($8 billion) in 2006.
 
While the exports increased 12.5 per cent from Dh16.8 billion in 2005 to Dh18.9 billion in 2006, the imports soared to over 12 per cent from Dh9.1 billion in 2005 to Dh10.2 billion in 2006, the Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) said in a statement yesterday.

'Year after year Sharjah's external trade is increasing. Our policy is to enhance trade between the emirate and the rest of the world,' SEDD general manager Ali Bin Salem Al Mahmoud was quoted as saying in The Gulf News said.

The emirate's trade with the other Gulf countries increased 30 per cent to Dh2.6 billion last year to Dh2 billion in 2005.

Among the GCC countries, Saudi Arabia was the top export destination with exports to that country valued Dh655 million.

India top partner

India was the single largest trading partner of Sharjah with 33.3 per cent (Dh6.3 billion) share in the emirate's external trade.

In terms of re-exports, Iran came in the first place with Dh1.9 billion, followed by Iraq, which accounted for Dh1.4 billion.