AFTER A very depressed situation in the Far East last year, trade has begun to show signs of a recovery on the export side of things - although imports are still decreasing.
According to figures released to FTW by Whitehouse & Associates, SA exports to Asia jumped up by 21% in the January-April period this year compared to same period last year.
The export figures are probably a good indicator of economic conditions in the Far East - with growth figures for each year since 1995 having read: 29% increase; +32%; +7%; and a minus 12% figure for 1998.
Import growth, meantime, has fallen-off rapidly in the same period. This Jan-Apr, growth was replaced by decline, with a -4% fall on the same period last year. This follows annual import growth figures which read: 1995 +64%; 1996 +14%; 1997 + 15%; and 1998 +5%.
Brighter outlook
The almost 6% growth in total trade recorded for the first third of this year also sees things begin to look brighter after it actually dropped 2% in calendar 1998. This followed a decline from +49% in 1995; +21% in 1996; and +11% in 1997.
However, further good news from these stats is that total trade for the first third of this year also managed to show a rise - climbing 5.6% to R21.79-billion for January-to-April this year.
The trade balance - always too swayed by east-to-west trade for shipping lines - has also improved, easing back from -R5.2-bn in the four month period last year, to just over -R3-bn this year.
But the problem for shipping lines probably still remains - with a major proportion of incoming trade still being containerised, and a major share of the export tonnage travelling bulk or breakbulk.
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