Goods and services worth QR3.158bn were exported to Japan in April 2016, making the topmost destination of exports from Qatar in Asia.
According to reports from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, South Korea was second in the month with exports of QR2.088bn and India at the third position with QR1.627 bn.
China and the UAE were fourth and fifth respectively with exports of QR1.065bn and QR887mn, it said.
Similarly, imports from China topped last month with goods and services valued at approximately QR1.248bn. Germany and the US were second and third with QR1.161bn and QR1.158bn, respectively. The UAE (QR927mn) and Japan (QR625mn) were the other two main sources of import, occupying fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
As per the report, petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons were valued at approximately QR8.626bn in exports while petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (crude) were worth QR2.305bn. Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals (non-crude) were worth QR658mn.
Similarly, the largest imports were motor cars and other vehicles for transportation. They were worth about QR820mn and turbojets, turbo propellers and gas turbines were valued at QR604mn. Electrical and communication gadgets and equipment worth QR304mn were also imported to the country in April.

Man fined QR500,000, sentenced to life in prison for possessing drugs
An expatriate has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined QR500,000 for keeping illicit drugs for trade and personal consumption purposes.
Local Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday that a Doha Criminal Court also ordered his subsequent deportation after serving the prison term.
The defendant was apprehended at Abu Samra land border while attempting to enter the country in his vehicle.
The customs officer on duty suspected that there were packages concealed within the tyres of the vehicle driven by the convict, which was later found to be 53kg of hashish.
When caught, the defendant claimed that he was transporting the illicit drugs to a person in Qatar in exchange of QR100,000.
A blood test found that he had used such drugs himself.
The court convicted him based on the material evidence and the testimony of the customs officer.

Fall in power generation in April
There was a 22% fall in the country’s electricity generation in April this year compared to the figures of power production during the corresponding month last year, according to the latest figures of the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics.
The power generation last month was 2989 mw/h while in April 2015 the production was 3831.73 mw/h.
The report, however, added there was a hike in the power generation in April than in the previous month (March 2016, 2663 mw/h). There was a marginal 1% rise in power utilisation last month compared to the consumption in April 2015.
The water production which was only 43.13mn cubic metres in April 2015 went up to 45.058mn cubic metres last month.

Emir holds phone talk with Turkish prime minister
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation yesterday with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during which the Emir congratulated him on the occasion of his assumption of the post of prime minister. During the phone call, they reviewed relations between Qatar and Turkey and discussed issues of common concern.

Qatar-Turkey visa pact takes effect
The agreement on the abolition of visa requirements for holders of Qatari passports signed between the governments of Qatar and Turkey on 02/12/2015 entered into force on 28/5/2016, an official source at the Department of Consular Affairs at the Foreign Ministry has stated.