Imports and exports of dietary supplements rose by $3 billion in the first half of the year

In the first half of 2020, due to the coVID-19 epidemic, sino-us trade friction and other adverse factors, all industries were affected to different degrees. Among them, the nutrition and health industry realized double growth in import and export trade due to the interwoven effect of various factors, especially the import trade. Reporter recently from the Chinese medicine and health products import and export chamber of commerce (hereinafter referred to as the "health care"), according to China's total import and export of dietary supplements during the first half of the $3 billion, of which export trade after a slide in the early stage of the disease and rapid rebound, exports to $990 million, up 10.4% from a year earlier, 1743 engaged in export trade enterprises, up 4.4% from a year earlier. The import volume reached us $2.01 billion, up 32.1% year on year, with 2,543 enterprises engaged in import trade, up 10.8% year on year.

Export growth in Asia is strong

According to the statistical analysis by the Medical Insurance Association, China's export of dietary supplements in the first half of this year still maintained a growth trend.

It is understood that China's dietary nutritional supplement export market is mainly Asia, followed by North America and Europe, a total of 87% of the share, high concentration. Among them, the export volume of Asia was 540 million US dollars, which increased by 20.3% year on year, accounting for 55%. Asean is the major Asian export market with an export value of us $230 million; The Middle East market has great export potential, with a year-on-year growth of 43.1%. Among European markets, the EU is the main export market.

Secondly, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan, Myanmar and the Philippines are the major regions of China's dietary nutritional supplement export trade, with export volume of usd 170 million, USD 150 million, USD 50 million, USD 40 million and USD 40 million respectively, and the concentration rate of the top five markets is 46%. Among them, Hong Kong became the focus of the industry's attention, with its exports growing by 57.4 percent, overtaking the United States as the largest market for dietary supplements. "Hong Kong continues to play an important role as a transit market for dietary supplements." Analysts from the Health Insurance Association believe that although the US market is affected by multiple factors such as coVID-19 and trade frictions between China and the US, there is still a 2.1% increase. In addition, Japan, Myanmar, Singapore and Malaysia all showed varying degrees of growth, while the Philippine market replaced Thailand to become the fifth largest export market of dietary supplements in China, with a year-on-year growth of 16.9%. Although Thailand and Australia are still among the top ten markets of dietary supplements export trade, their export volume decreased significantly, by 18.9% and 21.3% respectively compared with the same period of last year.

Analyzing the export situation of different months, the export trade in January has a good momentum, with the export volume of usd 180 million, up 21.6% year on year. In February, due to the epidemic and the Spring Festival, the number dropped by 24.6% year on year. March and April were periods of rapid rebound and recovery, with growth of 18.1% and 30.7% to $210 million and $190 million respectively. Exports were almost flat in May and June, at $180 million and $160 million, respectively, compared with the same period in 2019.

In terms of the export of different provinces and cities, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Shandong are the top three, accounting for 51.1%. However, in terms of growth rate, Fujian saw the highest export growth rate, with a year-on-year growth of 172.4%, followed by Henan province with a year-on-year growth of 32.8%.

Healthy demand is driving up import markets

"In 2020, the import of dietary supplements maintained a good growth status, which is on the one hand related to the health concept gradually formed by Chinese consumers; On the other hand, the outbreak this year has also made consumers pay more attention to their health, further releasing the demand for high-quality and healthy products." According to a source from the Medical Insurance Association, bird's nest products have seen a significant increase in the category of imports, with the import value of 190 million US dollars, up 69% year on year. In addition, seal oil products also showed a significant growth, a year-on-year growth of 213.9%. From the perspective of import market, the main import market of dietary supplements is Asia, North America, Oceania and Europe, accounting for 99%. Among them, Asia is the main import market, the import volume of US $7.0 million, a year-on-year increase of 42.0%, accounting for 35% of the whole import market; Asean imports amounted to us $400 million, while the share of the Middle East, although relatively small, increased by 191 per cent year on year, and import prices also increased significantly. It was followed by North America, where the import value was 520 million US dollars, with a year-on-year increase of 45.2%, while the import price increased by 97.7%. Imports from Oceania and Europe both increased by 22.6% and 15.9%, respectively.

In addition, the import value of dietary supplements in the top ten countries all showed different degrees of growth, among which the import value of Indonesia increased by 95.3% compared with the same period last year, and that of Hong Kong increased by 87.4%. The United States once again overtook Australia to become the largest importer of dietary nutritional supplements, with an import value of 460 million US dollars, up 43.9% year on year. The import price also showed a significant increase, up 97.0% year on year. Australia was second, with imports of us $420 million, up 22.6 percent year on year.

Analysis of different months, except for the January import volume year-on-year decline, other months have different degrees of growth. In February, the year-on-year growth was 63.8%, with imports of 260 million US dollars. Imports rose 51.8 per cent year-on-year in April to $430m; June was also up 40.9 percent from a year earlier.

According to the import figures of different provinces and cities, Guangdong ranked the first, with the import amount reaching 610 million US dollars, up 47.1% year on year, accounting for 30.2% of the import amount. 588 enterprises engaged in import occupied an important position. Zhejiang and Shanghai were the second, with imports of 520 million US dollars and 350 million US dollars, accounting for 73.3% of the total. Shandong and Fujian imports showed a year-on-year growth of 116.4% and 60.0%, respectively. According to the number of enterprises engaged in import, Henan province and Chongqing have a high concentration of 25 and 20, respectively.

Looking at the current economic situation, the COVID-19 epidemic is still affecting the global economy, and various difficulties remain, such as poor logistics and transportation, and the failure of domestic and foreign exhibitions to be held as scheduled. The future of the dietary supplements industry remains to be seen.