The non-oil exports in Saudi Arabia surged by 14.5 per cent in the third quarter to hit SR50.69 billion ($13.5 billion) compared to the same period last year with Japan and China topping the importers' list, said a report.

The non-oil imports increased by 3.9 per cent to hit SR153.84 billion in the third quarter compared to SR148.03 billion last year, reported the Arab News citing official data. However, it dropped by 8 per cent compared to the previous quarter.

Non-Arab and Islamic Asian countries received the highest portion of Saudi exports worth SR784.39 billion, or 53.9 per cent of the total exports. Japan emerged the top trading partner with SR192.20 billion worth of imports, followed by China with SR188.22 billion, the report said.

The other major trade partners included the US which imported SR208.33 billion worth of goods followed by Canada (SR9.75 billion), the EU (SR176.21 billion) and the Gulf countries with SR96.34 billion, or 6.6 per cent of the total exports, the report added.

Of the GCC countries, Bahrain topped the list with products worth SR39.12 billion, followed by the UAE (SR38.92 billion), the report added.