Author: Editorial Desk

Indonesia remains confident in meeting its 2025 national export growth despite the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China. The government has set an export goal of $294.45 billion (Rp4,981.26 trillion), reflecting a 7.1% increase over the previous year, and aims to stay on course despite recent challenges. Djatmiko Bris Witjaksono, Director General of International Trade Negotiation at the Trade Ministry, acknowledged the impact of the ongoing trade war and the newly imposed 10% U.S. tariff on Indonesian imports. He emphasised that while the environment is difficult, the government and private sector are approaching the situation with determination.…

Thailand’s rice export sector has suffered a sharp setback, with first-quarter exports dropping by 30% compared to the same period last year. This downturn has allowed Vietnam to surpass Thailand as the world’s second-largest rice exporter, intensifying concerns among Thai industry stakeholders. According to Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the country exported 2.1 million tons of milled rice in the first quarter of this year—a notable decline. The drop was primarily driven by a 53% plunge in white rice shipments, partly due to India’s re-entry into the market and reduced import demand from key buyers…

India, the world’s second-largest producer of crude steel, has introduced a 12% temporary tariff on certain steel imports, locally referred to as a safeguard duty, to contain a surge in cheap shipments, mainly from China. The influx of Chinese steel in recent years has forced some Indian mills to scale down operations and consider job cuts, prompting India to join a growing list of countries seeking to protect their local industries. According to an official order from the Ministry of Finance, the duty will be in effect for 200 days starting Monday, unless revoked, superseded, or amended earlier. This marks…

Syrian authorities announced on Sunday that a wheat shipment had arrived at the Mediterranean port of Latakia, marking the first such delivery since the December ouster of former ruler Bashar al-Assad. In a statement, the Syrian Authority for Land and Sea Ports confirmed that “The first ship carrying wheat since the fall of the former regime arrived today at Latakia port, carrying 6,600 tons of wheat.” The source of the wheat was not explicitly mentioned; however, the authority released an image of the vessel, the Pola Marina, which Marine Traffic records show as a Russian-flagged ship that departed from Rostov-on-Don…

Bangladesh is among the world’s top ten mango producers but remains a small player in the global mango export trade. Exporters mainly blame high air freight costs for this gap. These elevated costs—nearly double those faced by competitors—have steadily priced Bangladeshi mangoes out of major markets in Europe and the Middle East. Recent bilateral discussions have revived optimism, with Bangladeshi exporters now eyeing China as a potential major market. Experts believe that, if quality standards are met, China could offer a significant opportunity, helped by considerably lower freight costs compared to other destinations. Exporters highlight that high air shipment rates—Tk350–380…

Pakistan is moving to expand its trade footprint by launching new sea trade corridors aimed at the East African Community (EAC), a bloc of eight countries with a combined population exceeding 500 million and a collective GDP of around $345 billion. According to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data, Pakistan’s total trade with Eastern Africa reached $1.30 billion during the first nine months of the current financial year (FY25), with exports standing at $617.12 million and imports at $688.20 million. Kenya emerged as Pakistan’s top trading partner within the region. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on…

Japan and the United Kingdom have expressed concerns over a proposed ban on the Philippines’ raw mineral export, warning that it may violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and disrupt global supply chains. During a recent WTO Council for Trade in Goods meeting, Japan and the UK raised issues regarding Senate Bill (SB) 2826, which includes a provision to restrict the export of raw minerals. The Goods Council, one of the WTO’s primary bodies, oversees 14 committees handling matters from agriculture to market access. A Geneva-based source told The STAR that Japan argued the export restriction would be inconsistent with…

The United States is set to impose port fees on Chinese ships in a bid to revitalise its domestic shipbuilding industry and challenge China’s dominance in the sector. Beginning mid-October, Chinese ship owners and operators will face a charge of $50 per ton of cargo, with the fee set to increase by $30 per ton annually over the next three years. While concerns have been raised that the move could further disrupt global trade, especially following the impact of former President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, the port fee is notably less severe than earlier proposals. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry…

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade convened a meeting yesterday with a team of policymakers to initiate the drafting of a new decree to replace Decree 31/2018/ND-CP, ND-CP format (which stands for ‘Nghị định – Chính phủ,’ meaning ‘Decree – Government’ in Vietnamese). The move aims to strengthen the legal framework governing the management of goods’ origin and support businesses in adapting to increasingly stringent origin rules imposed by import markets amid ongoing global trade fluctuations. During the meeting, delegates and experts examined critical issues, including decentralization, authorization for Certificate of Origin (C/O) issuance, fraud prevention and combating illegal…

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned that global goods trade is expected to shrink this year, driven by sharp declines in imports and exports from North America following the United States’ recent tariff overhaul. The WTO had previously projected steady trade growth for 2025 and 2026. However, after the US introduced widespread tariffs and its trading partners responded with retaliatory measures, the organisation’s economists have issued a ‘substantial downgrade’ to earlier forecasts. Global goods trade volume is now projected to fall by 0.2% in 2025, after a 2.9% increase last year. The downturn is largely attributed to North America,…