Dear Subscriber

 

Welcome to the May edition of Wade Trade News - Wade World Trade's own monthly bulletin bringing you news on developments and opportunities in international trade that are worthy of your attention. Read on now for news about trading with Shanghai, Sri Lanka, Poland …. plus sites that can help you get started trading in sportswear and toys and games.

 

Following on from our reports on trade with Guangdong and Hunan, China, over the last two bulletins the latest statistics released by Shanghai Customs show that the foreign trade of Shanghai port has continued to expand massively - with imports and exports reaching a record figure of US$76 billion in the first quarter of 2005. The statistics show that there has been an overall year-on-year increase in trade of 25.7% over the last year. In money terms, exports amounted to US$45.68 billion, up 37.9%, and imports amounted to US$30.29 billion, up 10.9%.

 

If you want to keep up with all the trade news in booming China put the People's Daily Online on your favourite's list : english.peopledaily.com.cn.

 

Despite last year's horrific natural disaster, Sri Lanka's exports have continued to perform well recording a growth of 21.4% up to February 2005 and amounting to Rs. 95.6 billion. Export Development Board - www.srilankabusiness.com - Chairman Rohantha Athukorala said 'What is encouraging is the continued performance in the non-traditional sectors including processed foods which have grown from Rs.296 million to Rs.1,040 million.'.

 

The traditional markets of textiles and garments have grown by 13% to Rs. 46.7 billion. The tea sector has grown by 12% to Rs. 12.7 billion, which is encouraging given that the large Pakistan market is yet to open following the signing of a Free Trade Agreement. Other exports successes include cinnamon (up 26% by value), ceramics (up 8%), furniture and floriculture (up 35%), toys and wooden products (up 72%). The EDB is also promoting rubber exports to the USA, and developing exports to the UAE.

 

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Of all the former Soviet bloc countries, Poland has made a more successful move to a free market than many others. As a country that sits between eastern and western Europe (and also borders seven countries) Poland recognises the importance of international trade. If you're interested in trading with Poland here's a fantastic site that will give you all the basic information you need - visit the Baltic Sea States site at bibl.sh.se/baltic/country.asp?l=10. You'll find links to more sites in and about Poland than you could ever possibly need! (Most of the sites are in English or have an English version.)

 

As well as Poland, this site is excellent for information and links for Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Ukraine.

 

If you're looking for a new product to trade then sportswear and sporting goods could be a possibility. Sportswear is manufactured cheaply in low labour cost countries, but sells for high prices in richer countries. If this area interests you then SGMA International at www.sgma.com is a US-based, global business trade association for manufacturers, retailers and marketers in the sportswear and products industry. The organisation has an interesting website featuring useful market research and product reports (some free to download), details of trade fairs, a sports product and company search facility and news and links to other sports product sources worldwide.

 

There could be more opportunities to trade goods between Brazil and Africa. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently completed an extensive tour aimed at strengthening ties with five key African nations, and seeking out a wider range of markets for exports. The tour included visits to Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Cameroon.

Trade between Brazil and Africa has grown fast over recent years - more than doubling since 2000 and reaching US$10.42 billion last year. Presently, Brazil imports more from Africa than it exports but the Brazilian Government believes that the African nations represent 'new markets for exporting everything from needles to automobiles', while some are even potential buyers of more sophisticated products, thanks to their oil export revenues.

 

Whatever country you're trading with, it's important to know something about the business and cultural background and the way things are done there if you're to make good contacts and conclude successful deals. Countries can vary more than you might think - India and Pakistan, or Israel and Egypt, for example, might be neighbours but they are totally different culturally. Kwintessential Country Profiles at www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html is a great site whenever you need to check up on a new country. Within the site there are profiles of dozens of countries, with information about language, religion, family values, meeting etiquette, dining, dress, negotiating, and much more - there are even useful phrases!

 

Wouldn't it be nice to trade in a product that is not only profitable - but fun too? Well, you can, if you consider importing and exporting toys and games. The world trade in toys and games is worth a massive US$71 billion per year - including video games. 41% of the entire world trade is centred on the USA, with 30% in Europe and 29% in Asia/Oceania so it's a huge but very compact business.

 

We've tracked down a range of sites if you'd like to get started : Go to www.toy-tte.org for the Toy Traders Of Europe (TTE) site. TTE represents the toy industry in Europe and provides news, information on the toy industry and issues affecting it (including the impact of Chinese exports, toy safety, customs duties etc.), details of fairs and trade missions, links to magazines and sources of much more information. The International Council of Toy Industries has a dull but useful site at www.toy-icti.org. Other useful sites to try include : British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) at www.btha.co.uk. Toy Manufacturers of America (TMA) at www.toy-tma.com. Australian Toy Association (ATA) at www.austoy.com.au. Canadian Toy Association at www.cdntoyassn.com and Hong Kong Toys Council at www.toyshk.org.

 

Don't forget that right now we're celebrating sixty years in the import-export business …. so there's no one more experienced to help you make a success of world trade than Wade. The help you receive in this bulletin is just a tiny sample of the help Wade World Trade can offer you. Our products and services include newly updated courses, manuals, advice, information, online resources and worldwide trade and business contacts - more or less everything you need to start and succeed in import-export.

 

For more details of our products and services visit our new website at www.wadetrade.com or call us on +44 (0)20 8663 3577.

 

Best Regards

 

Mark Hempshell

Editor