Drug Traders Favor Short Contract    

In the first five months, China's import and export of pharmaceuticals, traditional Chinese drugs and medical instruments accumulated to US$23.02 billion, up 28.6% over one year earlier and accounting for 2.1% of the national total, according to China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicine & Health Products (CCCMHPIE). Within which, the export was US$15.43 billion, growing 30.6% and the import was US$7.59 billion, increasing 24.8%.
    In that period, China exported US$9.27 billion of medicines, 33.7% higher than the year-ago period. Of that, the export of vitamin C was US$409 million, up 15.4% and the average price declined by 16.8%. The export of penicillin industrial salt amounted to US$58 million, an increase of 1.32% but the export of penicillin derivative 6-APA surged by 25% to US$93 million. Driving by the 131.9% growth in export price, the export value of heparin sodium increased 111% to US$459 million.
   The export of medical instruments grew 23.9% to US$4.97 billion and that of traditional Chinese drugs was US$1.19 billion, up 36%.
   China imported US$4.72 billion of medicines with a year-on-year growth of 23.3% and US$2.57 billion of medical instruments with a growth of 29.4%.
   CCCMHPIE warned that there are still many uncertainties for import and export of medicines and health products amid the complicated economic situation in the world. Its survey showed that most of the orders recently held by Chinese medicine makers are for short or medium term, due to frequent price changes of raw materials and other variables. Drug players take a cautious attitude on long-term order and big order.