WadeTradeNews

Welcome to the May edition of Wade Trade News - Wade World Trade's own free bulletin bringing you news and opportunities in international trade that can make you money. Read on now for information and hot tips for trading with the ASEAN countries, the USA, Korea, Thailand, Mexico, India, China - and some useful inside info. if you're interested in trading wine.

South East Asian nations should grow at a faster rate this year as exports to new markets balance out slowing demand from traditional trading partners. Economic growth among the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN - www.aseansec.org) may grow as much as 6%, exceeding last year's 5.8%, the group's Secretary General Ong Keng Yong said recently. Sales within ASEAN and to the Middle East are increasing, although sales to the USA, Europe and Japan are expected to fall this year 'Exports to developed markets will slow but we are expecting it to be offset by intra-ASEAN trade and also newer markets' Ong said in an interview recently in Thailand. 'We are finding more markets beyond the usual places that we sell goods too. Growth will still be robust. We've been doing very well in the Middle East and the Gulf, because the dynamos there - Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia - have a lot more cash with higher oil prices' he added.

The USA has become the most lucrative market for Australian wine for the first time in almost three years. It overtook the United Kingdom as the top Australian wine export market in value terms in the 12 months ending March 2007. The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation (www.awbc.com.au) says the 12 month period set new records for wine exports. Volume rose 10% to 788 million litres while value increased 4% to A$2.91 billion. Other big export markets for wine include the UK (which received A$944 million of Australian wine in the same period), Canada (A$249 million), New Zealand (A$96 million) and Germany (A$66 million). China is also a growing market, buying A$46 million of Australian wine.

A majority of South Korean companies expect the country's exports to continue to grow in the second quarter of the year due to strong overseas demand, a recent poll showed. The Korea International Trade Association or KITA (www.global.kita.net) said its monthly export business survey index increased to 114.2 for the latest quarter - up from 100.1 in the previous one.

Here's a good news site which we discovered and which is well worth taking a look at for the latest Korea trade and other news - Yonhap News at http://english.yna.co.kr - for the English version.

Despite the strong currency Thailand's exports remain healthy with more than 18% growth in the first few months of 2007. The baht, which has risen by 12% against the US dollar since the start of the year, has worried businesses - many of whom have called for increased currency controls. Exports in January and February were worth US$21.7 billion, up 18% over the same period last year. Imports increased just 2.8% to US$19.7 billion. The trade surplus of more than $2 billion underlined the strong baht as some businesses delayed imports believing the dollar would weaken further. Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet said that he was satisfied with the surplus, which compared with a deficit of US$780 million in the first two months of 2006. He added that the ministry still considered exports would grow 12.5% this year to around US$145.9 billion, compared to US$129.7 billion earned in 2006.

Mexico is often overlooked as a trading partner, but offers some attractive opportunities. For a start, the Mexican economy is stable (although contracting slightly from 2006). Gross domestic product is expected to grow 3.5% in 2007, compared to 4.8% last year. Inflation is projected at 4.1%, almost unchanged from last year. Mexico is the USA's second largest export market behind Canada, buying US$124 billion of US products and services in 2006.

The best current opportunities, according to a recent report, are automotive parts and supplies, electronic components, energy, airport equipment, travel and tourism services, plastic materials and resins, telecommunications equipment, environmental products and services, low-income housing and prefabricated construction, safety and security equipment and services, hotel and restaurant equipment, and education and training services.

As ever, good websites for trading links for Central and South America are very difficult to find and we're working hard to find you good ones. Have a look at www.mexico-trade.com as a starter, though it is a bit limited.

India's flower growing industry is booming, with roses becoming the top export crop. March until May is the peak season for rose growing in India. Out of the 120,000 hectares of land currently used for growing flowers in India around 60% is dedicated to roses. With each producing around 2.5 tonnes of roses the earnings from domestic sales and exports literally 'rose' to US$68 million last year. Besides being a successful export, the flower also holds special cultural and medicinal significance. The liberalisation of trade policies means that export-oriented commercial production has risen over the last few years and created demand for new rose varieties. Rose-flavoured milk, rose powder and sweet rose petal paste have also enjoyed some export success.

The India Agronet website at www.indiaagronet.com has useful info. about exporting agricultural products from India. Here's a good article (from 2004) about tackling India's flower industry: www.indiatogether.org/2004/nov/eco-flower.htm.

According to a report in China Daily (www.china.org.cn) the demand for luxury goods in China is booming - and foreign exporters are being slow to react to the needs of increasingly wealthy Chinese consumers. According to the report, thousands of Chinese consumers buy clothing, foreign food and cosmetics overseas because the products are rarely seen in Chinese shops - even though China is now a major manufacturing nation itself. Despite China's vast trade surplus and growing purchasing power only a few exporters have tapped the huge consumer potential for imported goods in China. The report says that instead of complaining about Chinese products flooding their markets and causing unemployment foreign companies should turn their attention to tapping the Chinese market with their products. It adds that there is also strong demand in China for energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies, products and equipment.

The aim of this free bulletin is just to bring you a few selected trade tips each month. They are just a very, very small selection of what Wade World Trade can do for you. Our products and services include professional self-study courses, manuals, advice, information, online resources and worldwide trade and business contacts - more or less everything you need to start up or expand your import-export business. To find out more, visit us at our website at www.wadetrade.com - we're open 24/7.