| By Liu Yuanyuan, Asia Manufacturing Pharma |
| Monday, 14 September 2009 |
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China’s pharmaceutical sector delivered combined imports and exports of US$24.1 billion for the first half of this year, a slight
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year-over-year increase of 1.9 per cent, compared with a year-over-year decrease of 23.5 per cent in the country’s overall imports and exports during the same period. In addition, the number of foreign enterprises attending the 9th CPhI China 2009, which was held in Shanghai in June, increased significantly, showing a sign that China’s pharmaceutical sector is on track to warm up during the second half. However, during the first half of 2009, China experienced sharp fluctuations in its pharmaceutical exports, which are the main factors in determining pharmaceutical foreign trade trends. The country’s pharmaceutical sector delivered a year-over-year decrease of 22.8 per
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cent in exports for February, but a year-over-year increase of 39.6 per cent for March. According to Zhou Xiaoming, chairman of China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines & Health products (CCCMHPIE), China’s pharmaceutical sector reported unsatisfactory results in foreign trade for the first half, dragged down mainly by poor exports of raw materials for western medicines.
China exported US$17.6 billion worth of raw materials for western medicines in 2008, accounting for 55 per cent of the sector’s total.
Exports of raw materials for western medicines still accounted for 55 per cent of the sector’s total, but export value contracted 11.6 per cent year-on-year for the first half, the largest decrease among four categories of healthcare products reporting decreases in exports.
China produced fewer active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
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during the first half, with production volume of APIs down 13.5 per cent from a year earlier in June.
The continuing decrease in production volume was mainly attributed to the weak demand among international pharmaceutical markets, which fundamentally led to poor exports for APIs.
In addition, Europe and the US, the major consumers of APIs made in China, were seriously affected by the global economic downturn. Accordingly, the demand recovery for China’s APIs is subject to recoveries in these key markets.
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