Dubai’s international trade in the field of paper and manufactured paper products grew by 16 per cent to Dh2.2 billion ($599 million) during the first five months of 2011 as against Dh1.9 billion in the same period of last year.

The statistics issued by Dubai Customs revealed that manufactured paper products included wood pulps, corks, cellulose and fibrous materials, and cardboards.

Ahmed Butti Ahmed, executive chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, and director general of Dubai Customs noted as well that Dubai imports of such products in the first five months of 2011 reached Dh1.4 billion with a growth rate of 20 per cent compared to Dh1.2 billion in the same period of 2010.

As for the exports of paper products in the abovementioned study, they valued at Dh589 million compared to Dh540 million during the first five months of 2010 with a growth rate of 9 per cent.

The re-exporting trade of these products was Dh157 million with a growth rate of 11.5 per cent of the same period January-end of May in 2010 which reached Dh141 million.

The statistics shows that China has topped the exporting countries list of manufactured paper products to Dubai with a value of Dh188.5 million which constitutes 13 per cent of Dubai.

Indonesia came second on the list with Dh149.5 million (10.5 per cent), India came third with a value of Dh118.5 million (8.5 per cent) and then the US with 7.9 per cent, followed by UK with Dh49.3 million at 6.6 per cent.

These five countries formed a percentage of 46.5 per cent of the total Dubai imports of manufactured paper products.

India topped the list of most importing countries of paper products from Dubai with a value of Dh86 million and 14.5 per cent followed by Iran in the second place with Dh72 million (12 per cent) then Saudi Arabia with a value of Dh63.3 million (10.7 per cent), Pakistan with a value of Dh 49million (8.3 per cent) and finally Belgium in the fifth place with a value of Dh25.5 per cent million (4.3 per cent).

Paper products exports to these countries had a 50 per cent of the total list of Dubai exports of this industry.

Re-exported paper products in the period from January until the end of May, 2011 went most to Iran with a percentage of 17 per cent, then came second place Saudi Arabia with 6.5 per cent, Iraq with 5.8 per cent, India 5.5 per cent and Sudan in the fifth place 4.5 per cent.

The announcement of these figures coincides with oncoming launch Paper Arabia Exhibition which is hosted by Dubai World Trade Center from September 18 to 20.

Related studies show that the paper industry in the UAE’s market has reached Dh 1.5 billion with 57 per cent of the GCC market for this industry which is estimated around Dh 2.6 billion. – TradeArabia News Service