Topic “Featured News” — Exporter Magazine

Canton Fair, China’s largest trade fair and a key barometer of its trade and economic development, opened last week, amid growing concerns that a stronger yuan would weigh on the nation’s exports, according to ChinaDaily.com. Cleveland-based Ganeden Biotech and Agostoni Chocolate have come out with a functional snack that combines probiotics with artisan chocolate for consumers. The value of US dairy exports rose 65% in July to USD$308.8 million (NZD$407 million), bringing year-to-date dairy export value to $2.034 billion, a rise of 66% over the same period in 2009, according to a report by the US Dairy Export Council, citing the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service date. Seasonal and chocolate box sales are projected to increase by 12.9% between 2010 and 2015, growing to an estimated GBP4.1 billion (NZD$8.65 billion) by 2015, according to Confectionery News, citing a Mintel report. Global pharmaceutical sales may rise between 5 and 7% next year to USD$880 billion (NZD$1.16 trillion) on soaring demand in developing nations led by China as it becomes the world’s third-largest drug market, according to a Bloomberg report carried in China Daily. The United Arab Emirates said late last week it won’t implement a proposed ban on Research In Motion Ltd’s BlackBerry services. In August, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co completed its takeover of Swedish carmaker Volvo Car Corporation. And late last month Shanghai-based Bright Food (Group) Co Ltd emerged as the frontrunner to acquire United Biscuits, the UK biscuit maker currently owned by private equity firms.