Authority issued│Shandong exported 125.74 billion yuan of agricultural products in 2020, ranking first in the country for 22 consecutive years

Qilu Net·Lightning News reported on January 18 that this afternoon, the Shandong Provincial Government Information Office held a press conference to introduce the overall situation of Shandong’s foreign trade in 2020 and answer questions to reporters. The reporter learned from the press conference that in 2020, Shandong Province’s agricultural exports reached 125.74 billion yuan, an increase of 1.9% over 2019, accounting for 23.9% of the country’s total agricultural exports, accounting for an increase of 1.1 percentage points from the previous year, and the export value hit a record high. Ranking first in the country for 22 consecutive years.

According to Zhang Yibing, Deputy Commissioner of Jinan Customs, from the perspective of the export market, Shandong exported 40.7 billion yuan of agricultural products to countries along the “Belt and Road” in 2020, an increase of 13.9%, accounting for 32.4% of the total export value, of which exports to ASEAN were 25.54 billion yuan, an increase 17.6%.  During the same period, Shandong exported 28.38 billion yuan, 14.9 billion yuan, and 12.97 billion yuan in agricultural products to Japan, the European Union (excluding the United Kingdom), and South Korea, down 7.1%, 7.1%, and 4.8% respectively; and exported 11 billion yuan in agricultural products to the United States, an increase of 9%. In terms of specific products, vegetables, aquatic products, fresh and dried fruits and nuts are the main export commodities, of which 30.26 billion yuan is exported for vegetables, an increase of 4.9%; the export of aquatic products is 29.66 billion yuan, a decrease of 15.3%; the export of fresh and dried fruits and Nuts were 14 billion yuan, an increase of 40.5%, and the three together accounted for 58.8% of the total export value of agricultural products.

Zhang Yibing said that there are two main reasons for the growth of Shandong's agricultural exports.  On the one hand, the high-quality development of Shandong agriculture has provided the foundation for the growth of agricultural exports. In 2020, Shandong’s output of grain, meat, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products will continue to rank among the top in the country. In addition, as the province’s modern agricultural industry system accelerates, Shandong’s agricultural product quality and safety construction will also lead the country, with both quantity and quality.  The improvement ensures the scale and efficiency of agricultural exports; on the other hand, the diversified pattern of the international market has further broadened the prospects for agricultural exports in Shandong Province. In 2020, Shandong agricultural export enterprises overcome the impact of the epidemic and quickly resumed work and production to resume exports. In particular, agricultural exports to countries along the “Belt and Road” have been significantly improved, driving the province's agricultural exports to increase by 4%.

"Next, with the signing of the RCEP Free Trade Agreement, Shandong's agricultural exports will also usher in a broader market prospect." Zhang Yibing said.