According to Chinese customs statistics, a total of 16,100 tons of silk products were exported from China in the period January-July 2008, fetching US $389 million and representing a year on year growth of 10.44 percent and 10.77 percent respectively. The average unit price stood at $24.15 per kilogram, slightly up by 0.3 percent from the same time last year and accounting for 19.22 percent of the total silk merchandise shipments from the country.
Export of raw silk was estimated at 6,217 tons in the same period, marking an increase of 18.52 percent and accounting for 38.61 percent of total silk exports and earning $129 million with value witnessing a rise of 21.76 percent over the same period last year. Even the average unit price saw a surge of 2.74 percent standing at $25.2 per kilogram.
Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces accounted for 50 percent of the country's total exports of silk products in terms of value.
India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong were some of the major silk export markets for China of which exports to the first three continued to grow while that to South Korea and Hong Kong fell significantly by 9.53 and 8.74 percent, respectively.
The largest export market for the country was India which consumed 5,983 tons of silk goods from China worth $142 million, representing a year on year growth of 0.9 percent and 1.56 percent, respectively. Average price was pegged at $23.65 per kilogram, a growth of 0.65 percent.
In the same period under review, silk exports to Japan touched 1,508 tons valuing $42.15 million and indicating a year on year growth of 32.96 percent and 38.69 percent, respectively. Average price was $27.95 per kilogram, up 4.31 percent from the same time last year.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - China