ID :
184856
Fri, 05/27/2011 - 12:16
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https://oananews.org//node/184856
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S. Korea's baby product imports spike in 2010: customs data
SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's imports of baby products exceeded US$200 million for the first time last year as demand for overseas brands increased, bolstered by household income growth, the customs office said Friday.
The country's imports of baby products such as strollers, diapers and powdered formula amounted to $228 million last year, according to a report by the Korea Customs Service.
That figure marks the highest since related data started to be tracked in 2000 when the imports stood at $33 million. It is also much higher than $124 million in 2007 when the customs office last compiled such a report.
The spike comes despite a protracted low birthrate in Korea. Steady income growth in the past decade and fewer babies to raise encouraged parents here to spend more on high-end products for their children, the agency explained.
South Korea shipped in $55 million worth of diapers last year, and over the past decade their imports expanded at an annual average of 48.3 percent, the report showed. Japanese brands accounted for 95.2 percent of last year's imports.
Imports of strollers also jumped 35.8 percent every year during the decade, with their 2010 imports amounting to $39 million, according to the report.
The agency said that most of the products were imported from China because high-end brands produced the goods there under an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) arrangement.
Imports of powdered formula expanded at an average of 27.6 percent every year during the cited period, the report showed.
In particular, its imports grew to $36 million last year due to heightened safety fears after some locally produced goods were found to be contaminated with Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria. Nearly 80 percent of last year's imports came from Australia and New Zealand, the report showed.
The country's imports of baby products such as strollers, diapers and powdered formula amounted to $228 million last year, according to a report by the Korea Customs Service.
That figure marks the highest since related data started to be tracked in 2000 when the imports stood at $33 million. It is also much higher than $124 million in 2007 when the customs office last compiled such a report.
The spike comes despite a protracted low birthrate in Korea. Steady income growth in the past decade and fewer babies to raise encouraged parents here to spend more on high-end products for their children, the agency explained.
South Korea shipped in $55 million worth of diapers last year, and over the past decade their imports expanded at an annual average of 48.3 percent, the report showed. Japanese brands accounted for 95.2 percent of last year's imports.
Imports of strollers also jumped 35.8 percent every year during the decade, with their 2010 imports amounting to $39 million, according to the report.
The agency said that most of the products were imported from China because high-end brands produced the goods there under an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) arrangement.
Imports of powdered formula expanded at an average of 27.6 percent every year during the cited period, the report showed.
In particular, its imports grew to $36 million last year due to heightened safety fears after some locally produced goods were found to be contaminated with Enterobacter sakazakii bacteria. Nearly 80 percent of last year's imports came from Australia and New Zealand, the report showed.
