Compared with 2015, both export volume and value of Chinese ceramic tiles decreased in the first half of 2016. Moreover, the decline in value was sharper than that of in volume. The Customs’ data showed that the export volume of Chinese ceramic tiles in the first six months amounted to 477 million square meters, dropping by 5.57% as compared with the same period of last year; the export value reached USD3.030 billion with a yearly fall of 20.70%. Compared with first quarter, the decline rate of both export volume and value got decreased in the first half of this year.

I. Monthly Export

1. Export Volume

Chart 1 Monthly Ceramic Tile Export & the Year-on-year Ratio in the First Half of 2016

From the monthly exports, we can find that 42 million square meters of ceramic tiles were exported in February, dropping by 40.96% as compared with the same month of last year, and both its export volume and growth rate were the lowest among the six months; March witnessed 69 million square meters of ceramic tiles exported, growing by 36.87% as compared with the same month of last year, and this was the only positive growth in the first half of this year; in May, 99 million square meters of ceramic tiles were exported, which hit the highest of the first of the year. However, the export volume decreased by 0.69% as compared with the same month of last year. Please see Chart 1 for more details.

2.Export Value

In the first half of 2016, we can find that only March and April registered positive growth. In January, the value of ceramic tiles exported amounted to USD0.706 billion, and it was the highest in the first half of 2016; in February, the amount of export value was USD289 million, decreasing by 56.35% as compared with the same period of last year, and both monthly export and growth rate were the lowest among the six month; In April, the export value came to USD604 million, growing by 17.76% as compared with the same month of last year, and that was the highest monthly growth rate in the first half of 2016. For more details, please see Chart 2.

Chart 2 Monthly Ceramic Tile Value & the Year-on-year Ratio in the First Half of 2016

II. Exports of Different Regions

Guangdong Province continued to maintain its position as the biggest exporter of ceramic tile in China. However, the data from customs showed the accumulative export value of Guangdong ceramic tiles amounted to USD1.903 billion, (decreasing by 31.99% as compared with the same period of last year) in the first half of 2016, with a proportion of 62.79% of total export value of China’s ceramic tiles. Besides, this proportion decreased 10.14% as compared with the same period of last year. Please see Chart 3.

Chart 3 Proportion of Ceramic Tile Export Regions in the First Half of 2016

From the export growth rate, we find that among China’s main ceramic tile export regions, Jiangxi and Jiangsu were the only province which saw a positive growth in the first half of 2016, and Guangdong had the biggest decline range. See Chart 4 for more details. The accumulative export value of Jiangxi ceramic tiles amounted to USD500 million, growing by 172.68% as compared with the same period last year, with a proportion of 16.49% of total export value of China’s ceramic tiles. This proportion increased 11.42% as compared with the same period of last year. Moreover, Jiangxi Province moved up from the fourth to the second place in China’s ceramic tile export ranking in the first half of 2016.

Chart 4 Year-on-year Growth of Ceramic Tile Export in Different Regions in the First Half of 2016

III. Exports of Different Countries

Chart 5 Proportion of Trading Destinations in China’s Ceramic Tile Exports in the First Half of 2016

The customs’ data showed that the Philippines, U.S.A, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Pakistan ranked the top five in China’s ceramic tile export in the first half of 2016. The exports to the Philippines amounted to USD206 million (growing by 63.16% as compared with the same period of last year), accounting for 6.81% of the total export value of China’s ceramic tiles (similarly hereinafter); the exports to U.S.A reached USD179 million (down 21.35%), accounting for 5.91%; the exports to Saudi Arabia reached USD166 million (down 9.38%), accounting for 5.48%. See Chart 5 for more details.

Chart 6 Year-on-year Growth of Exports Value to Major Trading Destinations in the First Half of 2016

From the export growth rate, we find that among China’s main ceramic tile export countries, only Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Australia achieved positive growth in the first half of 2016; Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia were the top three countries with the biggest drop. See Chart 6 for more details. The accumulative export value of Pakistan ceramic tiles amounted to USD130 million, growing by 148.98% as compared with the same period last year, accounting for 4.3%, moving up from outside the top ten to the fifth place in China’s ceramic tile export ranking in the first half of this year; The accumulative export value of Vietnam ceramic tiles amounted to USD137 million, decreasing by 72.66%, accounting for 4.51%, dropping from the first to the fourth place in China’s ceramic tile export ranking in the first half of 2016.

IV. Exports to Different Continents

In the first half of 2016, over 60% of the export value of Chinese ceramic tiles comes from Asia. The data from customs showed that the value of China ceramic tile exports to Asian countries amounted to USD18.48 billion with a yearly drop of 26.5%, accounting for 61% of the total value of Chinese ceramic tiles. And the proportion has decreased 4.79% as compared with the same period of last year. See Chart 7 for more details.

Chart 7 Proportion of China’s Ceramic Tile Exports Value in Different Continents in the First Half of 2016

According to the growth rate, there were only a slight increase of export in those African and Oceania countries, others have all declined in the first half of 2016. See Chart 8 for more details. The exports to Africa amounted to USD540 million (accounting for 17.9%), growing by 4.56% as compared with the same period last year. And the proportion also has increased 4.28% as compared with the same period of last year; Europe had the biggest decline range, with a 43.06% yearly drop, and its proportion dropped from the fifth to the sixth place in China’s ceramic tile export ranking in the first half of 2016, which was the last.

Chart 8 Year-on-year Growth of Exports Value to Different Continents in the First Half of 2016

* sourced from  China Light Industry Information Center

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Editor: Tony Peng