Yiwu X'mas exports boom in Lat America and Mideast

Christmas is approaching at a fast speed. But it won't be an occasion to celebrate for everyone. Impacted by the eurozone debt crisis, Chinese manufacturers say orders for Christmas goods from Europe and the US have declined dramatically this year. Producers in Yiwu, the world's biggest exporter of Christmas products, are hoping the party will still go on, thanks to increased exports to Latin America and the Middle East.

China produces 80 percent of world's Christmas goods, including toys, decorations and games. And Yiwu city in east China's Zhejiang province is the biggest exporter for such goods. Feeling the pinch of the eurozone debt crisis and the sluggish US economy, manufacturers in Yiwu say orders to Europe and the US have dropped 30 percent from last year.

Mao Jing, owner of Huaian Party Costume, said, "Our products are sold mainly to European and American markets. Sales have decreased quite a lot this year compared to last year, by about 30 percent. This year's business is rather low."

However, with strong demand from Latin America and the Middle East, overall sales remain up on an annual basis.

Dai Yundi, CEO of Yiwu Senyi Craftwork, said, "Currently our major markets are Latin America and the Middle East, including Mexico, where orders are very high. And we also get orders from Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Those are our main customer countries."

Impacted by rising costs, some companies have relocated from Guangdong province to Yiwu in search of cheaper overheads. There are about 750 companies manufacturing Christmas items in Yiwu, a great leap from the 100 companies in 2008. The sales situation varies among them.

Chen Jinlin, general secretary of Yiwu Christmas Products Industry Association, said, "The orders for small and medium enterprises here have decreased between 15 and 20 percent. But for the big companies, the orders this year are better than last year. The situation is different in every company."

Chen says the impact of the sluggish European and US sales is more evident among small manufacturers, many of which count just one or two employees.