Soccer balls

Sports ball exports from China are rising steadily as more overseas buyers are sourcing from the country and more suppliers continue to enhance the quality of their products while keeping prices relatively low. If current growth rates are sustained, overseas shipments in the line could exceed US$500 million by the end of 2006. In the first quarter of 2006, China suppliers exported 319 million sports balls like soccer balls worth almost US$145 million, an increase of 25 percent in volume and 37 percent in value terms. In 2006, exports of soccer balls from the country amounted to 2.1 billion soccer balls worth US$565 million. These figures translate to a 20 percent increase in value and 10 percent volume growth.