Garden & Outdoor Living Product Exports in China

Global garden & outdoor living markets is expected to drive the market to a value of $225,512.8m by the end of 2017，with an anticipated compound annual growth rate CAGR of 2.6%. According to custom statistics, China exported over $64,457m of garden & outdoor living products in 2012 which equals approximately 50% of the world’s export value.

A Promising Future

Global garden & outdoor living markets generated total revenues of $198,330.2m in 2012, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7% between 2008 and 2012. The performance of the market is forecast to follow a similar pattern with an anticipated CAGR of 2.6% for the five-year period 2012 – 2017; which is expected to drive the market to a value of $225,512.8m by the end of 2017.

Gardening & outdoor living markets includes the sale of plants, shrubs, growing media, outdoor furniture and decorations, as well as gardening tools and utensils.

Over the last decade, the garden & outdoor living market has become increasingly competitive, due mainly to increasing pressure from low-cost imports deriving from low wage countries. The increase in imports is concentrated on Asia, especially China. This is due to the fact that manufacturing in the Far East is more competitive compared with North America and Europe in terms of low manufacturing costs and wholesale pricing. Expectations are that production of low priced items will continue to move to the Far East.

Export of Garden & Outdoor Living Products in China

China's foreign trade is likely to grow by more than 7 percent from the previous year to reach 4.14 trillion U.S. dollars in 2013, slightly lower than the official target of 8 percent. Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said the country will continue efforts to maintain steady trade growth in 2014.

Exports of China’s garden &outdoor living products have accelerated over the last few years. According to custom statistics, China exported over $64,457m of garden & outdoor living products in 2012 which equals approximately 50% of the world’s export value. From 2006-2009, China’s exports of garden & outdoor living products accelerated more than 30% each year. From 2009-2012, hit by global recession, growth slowed to around 10% - 15% in different product categories.

Major export destinations of China’s garden & outdoor living products include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France and Spain.

It is estimated there are now more than 100,000 enterprises exporting garden & outdoor living products from within China. Most of these enterprises are located around coastal areas thanks to lower logistic costs and abundant resources. These coastal areas include Guangdong Province, Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province, Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Guangxi Province and Shanghai.

There are also several major production zones of garden & outdoor living products across China. These include Linhai City in Zhejiang Province and Anxi County in Fujian Province. Both places are famous for exportation of garden & outdoor living products.