Practical Exercises on Trade Map & Mac Map

TRADE MAP

SELECTING PRODUCTS

1. Select two export products that you want to analyse – to familiarise yourself with
the product selection search engine

Product 1: Fresh or dried guavas, mangoes and 6-digit HS Code: 080450

mangosteens

Product 2: Fresh durians 6-digit HS Code: 081060

Note:Login to Trade Map. On the main selection menu, click on the search box next to
“Product”. As you do this, a drop down menu appears. Type the name of the product in the
search box. As you start typing the name of the product, Trade Map searches for the word
you have entered in the text describing each code. You can scroll down to view them all.
Once you see the appropriate definition, click on it to select it. If you want to delete the
product you have selected, click on .

Remember to keep the search words you use short and simple and if you can not find a
product, try to think of how else it could be described. The code description does not
always match the common name of the product. For example, if you are looking for
“raisins” the code is “080620 dried grapes”. If you had entered “raisin”, Trade Map
would have found “jacks and hoists of a kind used for raising vehicles”. So you would need
to try again calling the raisin differently. Always be careful not to make any spelling or
typing errors when entering the word!

ANALYSING IMPORT MARKETS AND ASSESSING

COMPETITION - with Trade Indicators

2. Analyse the importing markets for one of the products you selected in question 1:
=> Product 2

2.1 How much in total of this product is imported in the world? (2024)

US$ 7,329,841 thousand USD

Quantity: 1,677,151 tons/units

 Note: Select the product for which you want to do market research. Select “Imports” and click
on Trade Indicators.

2.2 Which three countries are the largest importers of the product?

Country 1: China Value in US$: 6,992,539 thousand USD

Country 2: Hong Kong, China Value in US$: 222,650 thousand USD

Metadata
Value in US$: 24,641 thousand USD
Country 3: Taipei, Chinese

2.3 Have imports by country 1 grown or declined in the last 5 years?

In value: +31 %

In +29 %
quantity:
2.4 Is there a difference between country 1’s growth rate in value and growth rate in
quantity? Explain what this difference could mean.
(value > quatity => giá, exchange rate, chất lượng sp tăng, chi phí vận chuyển tăng, cách thức đóng
gói có nhiều giá trị gia tăng hơn)
=> Yes, but not significantly (31% vs 29%).
=> Shows that import prices remain relatively stable, without strong fluctuations
2.5 What average unit value was paid for the product by country 1, 2 and 3?

Country 1: China Value in US$: 4,481 per ton/unit

Country 2: Hong Kong, China Value in US$: 4,166 per ton/unit

Metadata
Value in US$: 2,984 per ton/unit
Country 3: Taipei, Chinese

Note: This average value is calculated simply by dividing the total value by the total number of
tons or units.

2.6 What share of world total imports do countries 1, 2 and 3 make up together? 95.4 + 3
+ 0.3 = 98.7%

2.7 Do you think this indicates that the world demand for this product is concentrated?

Yes. This indicates that the world's durian imports are currently extremely concentrated, with China
accounting for 95.4% of the total global import value. This shows that the consumption market is
almost entirely dependent on China.

2.8 Is your own country an exporter of this product? Yes No

Note: To easily find your country among all countries listed, click twice on the title of the
column entitled “Importers”. The list of countries will no longer be sorted by “Value
imported in … (latest year)”. It will be sorted alphabetically. Click on the numbers
located on the top right of the table, below “rows per page”, to browse through the list.
Once you have found the answer to this question, click on the title “Value imported in
… (latest year)” to sort data again.

2.9 From where does country 1 import? (list the top 5 supplying countries)

Note: Click on the name of country 1 - underlined in blue

Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, HongKong - China

2.10 Is your country a supplier to country 1? Yes No

2.11 If yes, what is your country’s ranking in world exports of this product? Rank 2

Note: Don’t forget that if your country is not listed on the first page, you can click on the
numbers “1 2 3 4…” underlined on the top right hand side of the table.
2.12 Looking at the supplying countries of country 1, which countries do you consider
to be competing for a greater market share? Why so?

- Thailand is currently the largest exporter of durian to China, accounting for 57.4% of the market
share, equivalent to more than 4 billion USD in 2024. However, the growth in import value from
Thailand is decreasing slightly at -12% in the most recent year, showing signs of slowing down.
- Vietnam is currently the largest competitor, with an export value of 2.94 billion USD, accounting
for 42% of the market share in China. Notably, Vietnam has the strongest growth rate in terms of
output (+2.198% from 2020–2024) and value (+38% from 2023–2024). This shows that Vietnam is
expanding its market share very quickly and is a direct competitor of Thailand.
- The Philippines and Malaysia have much lower export volumes, but the Philippines has grown
dramatically (+144% of the value in the most recent year). Although the total value is only at
US$32 million, the Philippines could be a potential long-term competitor if it maintains its growth
momentum.
- Malaysia exports at the highest unit price (US$16,282/ton), but its output is very low at only 351
tons. Malaysia may not compete on scale, but it has the potential to position itself in the high-end
segment.
Note: Take a look at the Trade Indicators. Which countries demonstrate both strong growth
rates in quantity and low growth rates in terms of value? Which countries show a decline
in growth rates in value for the previous year? Do not hesitate to ask the trainer’s help to
answer this question.

- with Time Series

TradeMap – Practical Exercise 2

 2.13 Trade Map allows you to look at “Time Series” data and growth trends. Go to the
“Times Series” data table, still for the same product and look at the imports of
country 1. How have they evolved over the last 5 years?

Note:Go back to the list of importers for the selected product by selecting “All” countries in the
secondary selection menu. Select “Time Series” under “other criteria” in the secondary
selection menu. The new page will feature “List of importers for the selected product”.

Note:Please note that not all countries have reported their data for … (latest year) yet, and may be
listed at the end of the table. However, you can sort the countries in this table by any year desired by
clicking on the “Imported value” for any given year.
Year Imported value (US Dollar thousand)
2020 2,305,027
2021 4,205,405
2022 4,034,867
2023 6,707,257
2024 6,992,539
=> From 2020 to 2024, import value increased more than 3 times, from 2.3 billion to nearly 7
billion USD. There was a slight decrease in 2022, but then continued to increase strongly again in
2023 and 2024.
=> Over the past five years, China's durian imports have increased sharply and continuously,
showing high and stable demand. This is a great potential market for exporting countries,
especially Vietnam.
3 You can use Trade Map to identify potential markets. Choose three importing country
markets that could be interesting for your selected product.

Note: Analyse the data in the table “List of importers for the selected product in (latest year)”
paying special attention to the indicators listed in the table below. Do not choose these markets only on
the basis of the size of the importing market and dynamism, or because the country selected already exports to
those current markets but take also into account other parameters such proximity, cultural similarities, trends etc.
Don’t hesitate to adapt the table to your needs and add other indicators.
Target
Annual
Countr Annual
Value World Growth Other criteria
y (ưu Unit Growth Rate
Imported Market Rate in (Consumption,
tiên Value in quantity
(million Share value Distance,
annual (US$/unit) For the past
$) (%) For the past Cultural...etc)
growth 5 years (%)
5 years (%)
dương)
China 6,992,53 4,481 95.4 31 29 Đây là thị trường lớn
9 nhất thế giới về nhập
khẩu sầu riêng. Tuy có
thuế cao và yêu cầu kỹ
thuật (kiểm dịch),
A
nhưng nhu cầu lớn và
đang tăng đều, là thị
trường then chốt của
các nước xuất khẩu,
đặc biệt là Việt Nam.
B Hong 222,650 4,166 3 -23 33 Hồng Kông là thị
 Kong trường nhỏ nhưng có
lợi thế miễn thuế,
không rào cản kỹ
thuật, và vị trí địa lý
gần Trung Quốc,
thường được dùng làm
trung chuyển hàng hóa
vào thị trường đại lục.
Korea, 9,901 4,153 0.1 26 17 Dù thị trường còn nhỏ,
Republi nhưng Hàn Quốc có tốc
c of độ tăng trưởng nhập
khẩu tốt, thu nhập cao
và người tiêu dùng
C quan tâm đến trái cây
nhập khẩu. Tuy nhiên,
nước này áp thuế cao
và yêu cầu nghiêm
ngặt về an toàn thực
phẩm, kiểm dịch.
Comments:

- China: Cực kỳ tiềm năng, nhưng cần kiểm soát chất lượng tốt và tận dụng ưu đãi nếu có FTA.

- HongKong: Hồng Kông là thị trường nhỏ nhưng có lợi thế miễn thuế, không rào cản kỹ thuật,
và vị trí địa lý gần Trung Quốc, thường được dùng làm trung chuyển hàng hóa vào thị trường
đại lục.

- Korea: Dù thị trường còn nhỏ, nhưng Hàn Quốc có tốc độ tăng trưởng nhập khẩu tốt, thu nhập
cao và người tiêu dùng quan tâm đến trái cây nhập khẩu. Tuy nhiên, nước này áp thuế cao và yêu
cầu nghiêm ngặt về an toàn thực phẩm, kiểm dịch.

MARKET ACCESS MAP

4 Identify the tariffs, trade remedy and import regulations for the three import
markets you identified in question 3. Explain those measures.

Note: Click on the corresponding “Tariff equivalent ad valorem applied by the country”
underlined in blue in the last column for country A, B and C.

Country A: China

- Customs Tariffs: Import duty: 20% (MFN), 0% (Pref)

- Trade remedies: No
- Regulatory Requirements: Total Measures: 102 => Strict quarantine requirements (SPS), need to
be officially licensed, quality inspection at the border gate
=> China is a large market but has high technical barriers. If businesses meet SPS regulations
well and take advantage of tax incentives (FTA), the opportunity is huge.

Country B: Hong Kong

- Customs Tariffs: Import duty: 0% (MFN)

- Trade remedies: No
(để xem số liệu phần này thì bấm vào tên quốc gia muốn xem)
=> Regulatory Requirements: Total Measures: 17 => No major barriers, easy import
=> The market is completely open, tax-free and close to China. Can be used as a transit station or
to test the international market.

Country C: Korea

- Customs Tariffs: Import duty: 45% (MFN), 0% - 36% (Pref)

- Trade remedies: No
- Regulatory Requirements: Total Measures: 47, including quarantine, food safety, clear labeling
=> Korea is a growing market but has high tariffs and strict regulations. Need to have a clear
strategy on product quality and take advantage of FTA to reduce costs.

Would your choice of market change in light of this information?

=> No, my choice of markets would remain the same, but with clearer priorities based on market
access conditions.
+ China remains the top priority due to its massive import demand, despite strict SPS measures
and a 20% MFN tariff. If Vietnam can fully comply with quarantine requirements and utilize
preferential tariffs (e.g., under RCEP), this market offers the highest return.
+ Hong Kong stays as a strategic entry point. With 0% tariffs and minimal import
restrictions, it is ideal for testing product acceptance and as a transit hub to Mainland China.

+ Korea is still considered, but now seen as a longer-term target. The high MFN tariff (45%)
and relatively strict technical requirements increase entry costs. However, preferential tariffs (0–
36%) under FTAs and rising demand could make Korea attractive in the future—especially for
high-quality or branded durian products.
=> The core markets stay the same, but China is prioritized, Hong Kong is for ease of entry,
and Korea is conditional on strategic investment and FTA utilization.

1. Trung Quốc (Country A) – Ưu tiên hàng đầu

 Trung Quốc là thị trường rất lớn, nhu cầu nhập khẩu cao.
 Tuy nhiên, có nhiều rào cản kỹ thuật: phải kiểm dịch nghiêm ngặt (SPS), cần giấy phép,
kiểm tra chất lượng tại cửa khẩu.
 Nếu doanh nghiệp Việt Nam đáp ứng tốt các yêu cầu SPS và tận dụng được ưu đãi thuế
qua FTA như RCEP, thì cơ hội là rất lớn.
 → Vẫn là thị trường mục tiêu số 1 vì tiềm năng lợi nhuận cao.
2. Hong Kong (Country B) – Thị trường chiến lược dễ tiếp cận
 Miễn thuế hoàn toàn, gần Trung Quốc, gần như không có rào cản nhập khẩu.
 Thị trường này có thể dùng để thử nghiệm sản phẩm, kiểm tra mức độ chấp nhận của
người tiêu dùng quốc tế.
 Ngoài ra, có thể dùng Hong Kong làm trạm trung chuyển vào Trung Quốc đại lục.
→ Vẫn giữ vai trò chiến lược quan trọng.
3. Hàn Quốc (Country C) – Thị trường tiềm năng dài hạn
 Thuế MFN rất cao (45%), nhưng nếu sử dụng FTA thì có thể được giảm còn 0–36%.
 Có rào cản kỹ thuật như kiểm dịch, an toàn thực phẩm, nhãn mác rõ ràng.
 Đây là thị trường đang phát triển, có nhu cầu tăng, đặc biệt nếu sản phẩm là hàng cao
cấp hoặc có thương hiệu.
→ Cần đầu tư chiến lược dài hạn, nâng cao chất lượng và tận dụng FTA thì mới có thể
thâm nhập hiệu quả.

Tóm lại:
 Vẫn giữ nguyên 3 thị trường chính.
 Trung Quốc là ưu tiên số 1 nhờ quy mô lớn và cơ hội cao nếu đáp ứng được yêu cầu kỹ
thuật.
 Hong Kong dễ tiếp cận, phù hợp để thử thị trường và làm cửa ngõ vào Trung Quốc.
 Hàn Quốc có tiềm năng, nhưng cần chuẩn bị kỹ và đầu tư dài hạn để vượt qua rào cản
và tận dụng ưu đãi thuế.

TradeMap – Practical Exercise 080507-3-Exer-NEW-TMap-

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