GARDEN Trader (SPRING 2019)

Global Urbanization Triggers the Growth in Gardening Tools Market ccording to statistics from the Ministry of Finance's Customs and Excise Department, the category “ other hand tools of a kind used in agriculture, horticulture or forestry” accounted for the highest export value in Taiwan’s gardening tools from January to October 2018. The major exporting countries are the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The total export value is approximately US$39.21 million, and US$4.88 million less compared to the same period last year. The total export value of the top export country, the United States, decreasing by US$3.37 million. Among the top 20 countries, the United Kingdom has the largest increase in total export sales, which increased by US$880 thousand. The export situation of “other mechanical applianc- es for projecting or dispersing liquids or powders, agricultural or horticultural” has shown an increasing trend, with the export volume reached US$8.29 million, an increase of US$2.06 million over the same period last year. The top five exporting countries of this category are the United States, Japan, France, Italy and Germany. The export value increased steadily compared to last year, accounting for nearly 60% of the total global exports. The exports value of “knives and cutting blades, for agricultural, horticultural or forestry machines” increased by 40% compared to the same period last year. From January to October 2018, the export value reached US$1.19 million, exceeding the total global export value of US$1.09 million in 2017. The top three exporting countries, The United States, Thailand, and Canada, accounted for more than 50% of the global export value. The export value of Mexico shows the biggest increase, being the 30th exporting country of Taiwan in 2017; Mexico is now the fourth biggest exporting country of Taiwan, with an export value of more than US$100 thousand by October, 2018. As reported by Statistics MRC, the global horticul- tural equipment market reached US$260 million in 2017. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.2% by 2026, with an output value exceeding US$570 million. With the trend of global urbanization, the demand for landscapes in modern commercial buildings and houses has increased, people realize the importance of residential environment green- ing. As gardening has become a leisure interest of many people, enterprises are actively developing more user-friendly and ergonomically designed products that are suitable for gardens of all sizes and offer consumers diverse choices. A By/ Infotrade INDUSTRY TRENDS w w w . I M B 2 B . c o m 14