China’s rubber sector imports slip, exports up

Beijing – China’s imports of rubber products, including tires, slipped 11% year-on-year to $2.4 billion (2.1 billion) in the first half of 2019. Exports, meanwhile increased by 2% to $10.2 billion.

A similar trend can be observed in crude rubber, whose imports during the period fell by 14% to $4.8 billion while exports lifted by 1% to $420 million, according to data from China’s customs agency.

Natural rubber and synthetic rubber import volumes fell by 11% and 6% respectively to 1 million and 2 million tonnes; value dropped 17% and 14% to$ 1.4 billion and $3.3 billion.

Over the half year, exports of rubber materials and products overall to the US plummeted, the figures show.

See full report in the Sept/Oct issue of European Rubber Journal magazine.