India has a massive stockpile of wheat which is surplus to its requirements.  The State Trading Corporation is inviting wheat traders to buy this surplus stock.  If the offer is well received, this huge amount of exports will help to utilise space on supramax shipping which is operating below capacity.

AS Germany has reduced the level of subsidy for solar power industries from 1 April, China is expecting that exports of solar panels will reduce in volume.  China is home to the biggest producers in the world of solar panels, and has been relying on exports for growth.

Analysts in China are advising exporters to concentrate more efforts on emerging markets such as Brazil or India.  In the first quarter of 2012, exports from China fell by 1.8 percent, and imports rose by 9.8 per cent. Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa account for only 7.9 per cent of the countries trade, so [...]

Yunnan, in south West China, is one of the major world suppliers of geranium oil, which is an essential ingredient for many perfumes. In 2010, exports from Yunnan’s fragrance manufacturers amounted to 80 million euros worth – a 20% increase from the previous year.  Most of these exports war to the USA, Europe, India and [...]

The international manager of the organisation for the British pig industry was in China early in March to finalise details of the logistics of the pork trade with Chinese officials. They hope to export ‘fifth quarter products’ such as offal and ears to China, as they fetch high prices there.  Negotiations to open the Chinese [...]

It is likely that the USA, EU and Japan will lodge complaints with the World Trade Organisation over China’s restrictions on exports of rare earths. These commodities contain 17 elements which are essential for the manufacture of high tech products, and China is the world’s largest producer.  The country’s policy is to restrict exports to [...]

The Commerce Ministry of China has said that tax rebates for exports are likely to be increased this year.  Exports have declined sharply due to the European debt crisis, and the government wishes to stabilise export growth.  The announcement was made at the 2012 China Imports and Exports Work Conference in Nanchang in Jiangxi province [...]

Trading partners are worried that China’s lower growth targets will mean that they import less from Europe and the USA.  China’s exports grew 20.3 per cent last year, but economists say that it is important to concentrate growth on domestic consumption to re-distribute wealth in the country.

A former deputy commerce minister in China announced that the import taxes on a large number of consumer and luxury goods will be lowered this year. The aim is to promote domestic consumption in China. This is encouraging news for exporters in the West; Chinese consumers are interested in buying goods which are made overseas, [...]

Ireland is hoping to increase its exports of agri-food products like dairy goods, meat and seafood.  They are forecasting that shipments will grow by nearly 42 per cent by 2020 from the average in 2007 to 2009. The sector is reliant on exports, but is competing with New Zealand, which has a free trade agreement [...]

Wenzhou, in the provide of Zhejiang in China, is one of the main regions for the manufacture of spectacles.  Manufacturers there are expecting to reduce production by about 20% this year because of falling demand from Europe. Last year, the total value of their exports was 7 billion yuan. The city’s spectacles exports account for [...]

Chinese exports to Europe fell 9% in October compared with the same period in 2010.  The foreign trade director of the Ministry of Commerce in China told the BBC last year that the ‘foreign trade situation will be severe’ in 2012. Other commentators argue that industry is becoming more efficient which will reduce the cost [...]

China is now the top export destination for the Bordeaux region of France, and wealthy Chinese are increasingly investing in wine. Perhaps more surprising is the growing fashion for Beaujolais Nouveau, and Chinese are buying this wine in bulk as it reflects their taste for novelty and fashion.  It is particularly popular amongst young people. [...]

Prospects for British car exports are bright as they ended 2011 on a record high.  The industry has been growing since the recession on the basis of exports which have been encouraged by the weakness of sterling and investment in research and development. High end cars in particular have benefited from the aspirations of growing [...]

Growth in China’s exports is expected to be slow in the first half of this year because of the complicated situation in the world economy.  It is expected that growth in imports will be higher than that in imports. Exporters of luxury goods in particular are expecting a difficult year as consumers in the USA [...]

The latest statistics from the Irish Maritime Development Office show that only one of the five principal freight segments showed any growth over the same period last year. Exports  grew by 4% in Q3 and by 6% for the first nine months. Export demand to overseas markets such as the North America and Asia remained strong [...]

The UK trade association for the Scotch whisky industry have published figures showing that the value of China’s imports of Scotch whisky is increasing steadily.  In 2001 the value was 2.9 million dollars, in  2010 it was more than 85 million dollars. Exports to China rapidly increased when its economy began to take off after [...]

Exports from China to the rest of the world slowed in October, as growth in Europe stagnated.  But China continued to buy products from the rest of the world and imports grew by over 28%. Exports to the USA grew more than in the previous month, suggesting that the USA has coped better with the [...]

Last week the Prime Minister launched a drive to help companies to export. He said that if the UK matched the European average for companies trading overseas, the extra activity could add £30bn to exports which is  the equivalent of the trade deficit. This should also create about 100 000 jobs. The Prime Minister also announced [...]

With demand from the European Union and the USA slowing in September, China is expecting the export sector to face difficult times in the months ahead.  Imports of processing materials remained slow in September. China engages a lot in the processing trade – the country imports raw materials and half-finished goods, processes them and exports [...]

The Office for National Statistics has published figures showing that exports from the UK increased in August, compared with July.  The trade deficit narrowed more than expected with exports rising and imports falling slightly. The reduction in imports was inevitable with domestic demand falling and retail confidence low, and this is good news for the [...]

According to Customs Data, Chinese export prices are increasing as growth is slowing. Meanwhile, the nation’s foreign trade with countries such as India, ASEAN members, Russia, Brazil and South Africa is growing. The average price of Chinese exports rose 10.3 percent during the first eight months of this year, in comparison with the same period last [...]

On 28 September Felixstowe, which is the largest freight container port in the UK, opened two new berths.  They will be the only container berths in the country which are large enough to handle the largest container ships which are currently on order. It is hoped that the new development will create around 1,500 jobs. The [...]

The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental strategic think tank for transport policy with 52 member countries. Their latest data indicate a marked macroeconomic slowdown, noting that freight by sea in the EU and the USA stabilised below pre-crisis levels, while freight by air has declined in the EU. The report also emphasised the dangers of [...]

Cargo importers in Taiwan are complaining that their shipments are being delayed because Customs authorities are taking too long to inspect goods.  The Customs officials say they need more time to prevent ‘possible misunderstandings’ while the importers complain that officials are excessively cautious. There have  been a number of alleged scams in Taiwan in which [...]

With container movement already being delayed due to lack of gates, the situation has now been made worse by a flash strike which started on Friday. As of yesterday morning, over 500 vehicles, including export containers, lined up for over 8 km up to Ernavur in North Chennai waiting to enter the port. The strike means [...]

Container Trade Statistics report that imports into Europe from Asia in June were 4.6% down on May, but are above the levels recorded during the same month last year.  Exports to Asia in Quarter 2 of 2011 increased compared with last year. There was a decrease in imports from South and Central America to Europe, [...]

Growth in the German economy slowed unexpectedly in the second quarter of this year.  German GDP only increased by 0.1 percent in the quarter to June compared with the previous quarter. Although exports and investment made a positive contribution, imports grew more than exports so the balance of trade became less favourable.  Surprisingly, Italy was [...]

The Spanish exporters association, FEPEX has said that it will retaliate against French threats to once more disrupt imports of fresh fruit. Farmers in France have been intercepting freight trucks from Spain at the border tolls, and in some cases throwing the fresh produce on the roads. The Catalonia and Tarragon branches of Spanish farmers’ [...]

A recently published report shows that exports and imports of freight through European ports increased in May compared with the previous month, but declined from volumes recorded in March.  Overall, import and export container growth at deepsea ports has been weakening, and is expected to get worse. Consumer confidence is being eroded by the debt [...]

Food exports from Scotland passed £1bn last year according to figures from HM Revenue and Customs.  Sales of salmon and potatoes were particularly strong, while nearly two thirds of food sales came from fish and shellfish, which increased by 12% in the year.  Exports were helped by a fall in the value of sterling. The [...]

Against a background of unstable stock markets and Eurozone chaose, the confidence of UK exporters rose during the second quarter of the year, according to a new survey by the British Chamber of Commerce.  However, export orders and confidence are not rising as fast as in the latter quarter of 2010 or the first quarter [...]