AgroPages-China’s agchem export down 9% in Q1 2016-Agricultural news

According to data released by the Chinese General Administration of Customs, the total import and export value of pesticides in the first quarter of this year fell by 8.5% to US$1,165 million, while trade surplus dropped by 9.3% to $706 million.

Total Value of Foreign Trade in Q1 2016($ million)

Category	Total import and export volume			Trade surplus(deficit)
Category	Q1 2016	Q1 2015	%Change	Q1 2016	Q1 2015	%Change
Pesticide	1,165.33	1,274.16	-8.5	706.01	778.68	-9.3
Insecticide	261.65	250.57	4.4	146.87	155.95	-5.8
Fungicide	207.00	207.37	-0.2	30.54	21.64	41.1
Herbicide	642.54	764.46	-15.9	528.30	606.55	-12.9

Import & Export (000 tons, $ million)

Category	Import				Export
Category	Volume	%Change	Value	%Change	Volume	%Change	Value	%Change
Pesticide	28	-1.0	229.66	-7.3	336	1.4	935.67	-8.8
Insecticide	3	31.6	57.39	21.3	56	11.6	204.26	0.5
Fungicide	9	9.7	88.23	-5.0	24	20.9	118.77	3.7
Herbicide	10	-12.6	57.12	-27.7	244	-2.5	585.42	-14.6

Import specifics

In the first three months of 2016, the total volume of imported pesticides declined by 1% to 28,000 tons, with value dropping by 7.3% to $230 million.

Herbicide imports are the main driver of the overall import decline, with a volume of 10,000 tons and value of $57 million, down 12.6% and 27.7% year-on-year (YOY). Fungicide imports were recorded at 9,000 tons, with a 9.7% increase, but value decreased by 5% to $88 million. Insecticide imports' volume and value were 3,000 tons and $57 million, up 31.6% and 21.3% YOY, respectively.

Export specifics

The export volume increased by 1.4% to 336,000 tons in Q1 2016 but value decreased by 8.8% to $936 million. Herbicides were the largest category during the period, with a volume of 244,000 tons (down 2.5%) and value of $585 million (down 14.6%). The export volume of insecticides increased by 11.6% to 56,000 tons. For fungicide, the volume rose by 20.9% to 24,000 tons, with a value of $119 million.