WadeTradeNews

Welcome to Wade Trade News import and export news for March 2008. Read on for more news-you-can-use and great trading opportunities you can take advantage of in Taiwan, Thailand, China and Chile - a useful site for your research and opportunities to get started trading toys and fair trade products.

The export value of Taiwan farm products rose 4% in 2007, with the export value of mangos and orchids rising 130% and 40% respectively, according to a report issued recently. According to the report the export value of Taiwan farm products in 2007 hit US$3.4 billion in total. Phalaenopsis (a Taiwanese orchid), fruit, eel and duck meat were the best selling items amongst exported farm products. The report attributed the increasing export success of farm products in 2007 to better marketing and removal of trade barriers in other countries.

Following news of the government's Export Stimulus Plan the Thailand Commerce Ministry will soon begin a series of 'road shows' to promote overseas trade, particularly in emerging markets. The aim of the plan is to increase market share for Thai export goods in new potential markets, as well as help exporters access those new markets. Markets which have been identified for growth include India, as it has high demand for consumer goods plus China, Japan and Singapore, which have strong economic growth.

Thailand's Depart of Export Promotion site, Thaitrade, at www.thaitrade.com is a good place to start getting involved in Thailand trade. Thailand Exim is a good import-export directory: www.thailandexim.com.

Chile's trade surplus widened to US$2.1 billion in January, the Chilean Central Bank announced recently. The trade balance was far higher than US$1.4 billion median forecast made earlier last year. Total exports were US$6.4 billion and total imports were US$4.2 billion.

Our regular readers will know that good trade sites in English for South American countries are very few and far between - a pity because this part of the world is increasingly prosperous and offering many new opportunities. However, the British Chilean Chamber of Commerce has a good site at www.bccc.org.uk which import-exporters in any country will find interesting. The Amcham Chile site at www.amchamchile.cl is handy too.

Trade in mechanical and electrical products is expected to exceed US$1.45 trillion this year - due to rising global demand and growing domestic supply, up more than 20% compared to 2007. The Beijing-China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (www.cccme.org.cn) said recently that exports of mechanical and electrical products are expected to grow by 23% year on year in 2008. Imports will grow by 20%. It expects China will continue to be the world's second largest exporter of mechanical and electrical goods this year.

However, figures show that although China is exporting more of these products, it is also importing more. Last year China was the third largest destination for electrical and mechanical goods from the US - traditionally the world's largest importer of these products. Analysts say that household electrical appliances and light industrial products made in China have an advantage over US goods because of their price and product range. However, US products are still more technically advanced.

Toys are a popular product areas in almost every part of the world. If you'd like to get started import-exporting toys then the US-based Toy Industry Association (TIA) website has useful information on toys, what toys are 'in' at the moment, details of worldwide trade fairs and exhibitions and a useful member directory. You can visit it at www.toy-tia.org. The site is an excellent site to visit if you want to export toys to the largest toy market in the world - the USA. As you might expect China is now the world's largest toy manufacturing nation. The China Toy Association has a great site at www.toy-cta.com, with lots of information and supplier contacts.

When you're researching a new market you need facts, figures and statistics. But often, statistics can be pretty meaningless by themselves. So, if you'd like to have facts, figures and statistics that are actually useful you should try a very handy website called Nationmaster at www.nationmaster.com. Nationmaster is a unique site that draws information (including geographical, population, trade, financial and much more) from a variety of reliable sources, then lets you present them in a meaningful way including tables, charts and graphs - and also compare countries and regions with one another too. A very useful, practical site that makes it easier to understand complicated data!

Fair trade products are growing fast in popularity, especially in the US and Europe. Some estimates say global business in fair trade items has trebled in the last five years alone. Consumers are attracted to them for their ethical values, high quality standards and, in many cases, their environmental benefits. Fair Trade works on the basis of being a trading partnership with the producer. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers - especially in the southern hemisphere. If you're interested in importing-exporting fair trade products here are a couple of organisations which offer information and links to producers: The International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) at www.ifat.org and the Fairtrade Foundation at www.fairtrade.org.uk.

We hope you enjoy these FREE monthly trade tips and leads. But remember - you can get much more help on our website any time you want it. Our products and services include professional self-study courses, personal mentoring, online resources
and contacts and our unique World Traders' Club - more or less everything you need to start up or expand your import-export business. To find out more, visit us anytime at www.wadetrade.com.