Dear Subscriber

Welcome to the October edition of Wade Trade News - our unique free monthly bulletin that keeps you in touch with key international trade news and opportunities you can exploit. This month, we're bringing you information and leads you can act on right now - in the USA, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ukraine and the UK - and a handy European directory site to help you find thousands more contacts.

Katrina Building Needs May Prompt Tariff Cuts
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The US Government has announced it is considering adjusting high tariffs imposed on building materials, including timber from Canada and cement from Mexico, if demand for building materials from Hurricane Katrina causes prices to rise sharply. Treasury Department spokesman Tony Fratto said that the administration has the power to adjust the tariffs to meet these special circumstances. Currently, softwood timber imports from Canada face an average 27% tariff, while Mexican cement is charged at 54.97%.

The administration has created a 'rebuilding task force' that includes the departments of Treasury, Commerce and Labor to coordinate the Government's response to the costliest natural disaster in US history. Fratto said that the group, which is headed by Treasury Secretary John Snow, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, would examine issues such as the best way to rebuild the damaged areas. Gutierrez has also urged businesses to invest in the Gulf Coast, saying the private sector must play a major role in rebuilding the hurricane-devastated areas.

Tractors Yes - Cars No !
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The Pakistan Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives has the opened the way for more lucrative import-export opportunities after submitting an application to the Prime Minister Secretariat to permit the import of 10,000 additional tractors at zero tariff within the next three months. This follows a recent announcement by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) that annual demand for tractors in Pakistan is around 16,000-17,000 units and growing. In another announcement, however, the Chairman of the Central Board of Revenue ruled out any possibility of allowing the import of reconditioned cars.
 
Export Promotion Bureau Pakistan at www.epb.gov.pk is an easy to use site for trade information and contacts.

Indonesia Import Ban To Be Lifted
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The Indonesian Government will lift its import ban on rice before the end of this year, by allowing the State Logistic Agency to import 250,000 tons of rice. Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu recently said that the Government must allow the agency to import the commodity due to its obligation to continuously provide rice for poor people. She added 'The rice import will be realised before the end of 2005, and it would be gradually conducted. This is a huge requirement, it is impossible to supply it from domestic sources.'

Indobiz at www.indobiz.com is run by an Internet firm, but offers easy, user-friendly access to news. Indonetwork at www.indonetwork.info is a reasonably good site for finding trade contacts.

Vietnam Wood Exports Reach Almost US$1 Billion
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The Vietnamese wood export industry earned US$128 million last month, bringing the total wood export turnover to US$966 million in the last eight months -  an increase of 47.3%,  according to the Ministry of Trade. The country's wood exports are expected to reach more than US$1.5 billion this year, making Vietnam a major player in the agro-forest processing sector. Vietnam currently ranks fourth among wood exporters to Japan, with expected revenue of US$175 million this year, while Vietnam's wood sales to the US have hit US$103 million.

Vietnam Economy at www.vneconomy.com is a good site if you want to trade with Vietnam, as is the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency site at www.vietrade.gov.vn.

Ukrainian Market Opens Up To The World
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Ukraine's political 'Orange Revolution' is now leading to a series of economic changes in the country. Ukraine is now beginning to open its market to the world after liberalising its Customs tariffs, which had restricted the import of many items, principally foodstuffs. The changes mainly apply to products such as red meat, dairy products and fruit. In many cases, the reduction in tariffs amounts to over 50%, which should help foreign companies expand exports to the Ukrainian market.

 
At the moment it's very tricky to find good Ukraine trade sites. The Kyiv Post (www.kyivpost.com) is good for news and information. The Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade (MFERT) has a website www.mfert.gov.ua, but we've found it can be unreliable sometimes! There are some useful contacts at www.ukraine.org/links.html, although the business directory on the same site is inoperative.

Recommended Research Resource : The European Business Directory
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Online business directories are nothing new, and many of them are disappointing. But here's a new one we've found which we think you'll find useful for trading in and with Europe. Europages at www.europages.com is a Europe-wide B2B directory listing (in 25 languages) over 600,000 of the most dynamic import-export companies from all business sectors in over 35 European countries. We particularly liked the accurate searching facility which means you can find what or who you want, and screen out what you don't, making it an invaluable tool for finding new clients, suppliers and partners. Well worth adding to your favourites.

Tailor-Made News On Trading With The UK
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If you're in, or want to trade with, the UK uktradealert is a free e-mail alert service offering timely information from a variety of UK Government departments and EU Commission sources. It's not just a newsletter : You can actually personalise the information supplied depending on the sectors you want to know more about. Choose from information on trade statistics, surveys, DTI news, news on taxes, EU trade news, Customs announcements, tariff information and more. For more information and to subscribe go to the uktradeinfo site at www.uktradeinfo.com and click on 'E-mail Alert Service'.

Make Wadetrade.com Your Next Click
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Remember that our website at www.wadetrade.com is your point of contact for all the information and further help you need. There are details of all our courses, information on joining our World Trader's Club, lots of useful, free links for import-export and fascinating case histories of what fellow Wade World Traders are up to. Also, you'll find
 
an archive of back issues of Wade Trade News, packed with lots more information and sources. Please drop in and visit us soon .... and let us know what you think.


Best Regards


Mark Hempshell
Editor