In October only, the country imported 663,776 tons of petroleum worth of $489.29 million, down by 5.2 per cent in quantity and 2.6 per cent in value compared with the previous month. The figure was down by 37 per cent in quantity and 19 per cent in value compared with the same month of 2017.

The average petroleum import price in the first ten months of this year was up by 26.8 per cent year – on – year to $676 per ton.

Malaysia was the country’s leading petroleum import market in the first ten months of this year with 2.87 million tons worth of $1.82 billion, up by over 36.2 per cent in quantity and 86 per cent in value over the same period last year.

South Korea ranked second with 2.33 million tons worth of $1.72 billion down by 3.1 per cent in quantity and up by 15.5 per cent in value over the same period last year.

The imports of petroleum from Singapore reached 2.21 million tons worth of $1.43 billion, down by 40.5 per cent in quantity and 21.6 per cent in value over the same period last year.

Besides, the imports of petroleum from China reached 1.23 million tons worth of $853.57 million, up by 51.8 per cent in quantity and 105 per cent in value year – on – year; from Thailand – 1.13 million tons worth of $779.24 million, down by 19.5 per cent in quantity but up by 7.3 per cent in value; from Russia – up by 128.3 per cent in quantity and 233.2 per cent in value to 66,820 tons worth of $56.82 million; from Hong Kong – 102 tons worth of $61,294.