Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi's trade in pearls, precious stones and metals totalled AED8.2 billion in the first half of 2019.
According to figures issued by the Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi, SCAD, the trade-in pearls, precious stones and metals accounted for 7.8 per cent of Abu Dhabi's total non-oil commodities trade from January to the end of June this year, reaching a value of AED104.4 billion.
Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general usually rank among the leading countries in the pearl and gemstone trade, and pearl diving is one of the oldest traditional professions practised by the Emirati people.
An audit conducted on this sector showed that the value of Abu Dhabi's pearl and gemstone exports reached AED7 billion during the first half of this year, accounting for 24.3 per cent of the emirate's total exports, which amounted to around AED28.8 billion.
SCAD also revealed that the emirate's imports of this commodity reached AED845 million during the same period, accounting for 1.7 per cent of its total imports.
Pearls, precious stones and precious metals that were re-exported from the start of the year to the end of June were valued at AED328 million, compared to AED136 million during the same period in 2018.
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