Tag: asia

  • Giordano sales down in China

    Giordano sales down in China

    Giordano sales in Greater China plunged by 17.7 per cent during the first quarter, dragging group-wide sales down by 10.8 per cent, or 8.5 per cent on a constant currency basis.

    In a stock exchange filing on the eve of the holiday weekend the casual apparel retailer blamed the downturn on “uncertainty stemming from the Sino-US trade dispute and abnormally warm weather”.

    Giordano sales in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam remained stable during the quarter, and in the fledgling Middle East market rose by 10 per cent to HK$80 million, slightly compensating for the heavy impact of China.

    By market, Mainland China sales fell from $378 million to $295 million, in Hong Kong and Macau from $248 million to $225 million and in Taiwan from $201 million to $161 million. In the rest of Asia-Pacific, they declined from $422 million to $398 million.

    In the three months to March 31, inventories rose from HK$507 million to $512 million.

    During the quarter, Giordano closed two stores in Hong Kong and Macau and reduced directly operated stores on the mainland by 31, but opened 19 franchised outlets.

  • Google Pay update brings Gmail integration

    Google Pay update brings Gmail integration

    Google is trying to build an entire ecosystem that will allow users to access any important information from just about every Google app. Gmail has been integrated with many other Google apps, but other developers noticed the benefits and added integration with the email app.

    The newest app that benefits from Gmail integration is Google Pay, which doesn’t come as a surprise since the changes were spotted a few months ago. Now, Google Pay has been updated with Gmail importing, which means that the mobile payment app will browse through your emails and add the relevant information to its system.

    For example, whenever you receive loyalty cards, movie tickets, and boarding passes in the Gmail inbox, they will be automatically added in Google Pay. Keep in mind though that if you delete the email containing the information, it will disappear from Google Pay as well.

    The improvement makes it easier to access loyalty cards, tickets, and more without having to go through your emails every time you want to know something about them. It’s also easier to find coupons and boarding passes that are being sent to your Gmail inbox and make use of them.

    It’s worth mentioning that the new Gmail import feature is disabled by default, so you’ll have to enable it in Google Pay by heading to Settings / General / Gmail Imports and using the toggle available after the latest update.

  • A Short Review Guide On Jared Goetz Shopify Ecom Hacks Academy 

    A Short Review Guide On Jared Goetz Shopify Ecom Hacks Academy 

    eCom Hacks Academy is an in-depth course for building your online business in Shopify. CNBC and Entrepreneur, Inc. featured its founder, Jared Goetz, in 2017 as he was able to earn 2 million USD in 60 days from his store. A lot of people are enticed by how Jared worked for only 30 minutes a day, which is included in the eCom Hacks Academy training. If it sounds too good to be true, check out this Jared Goetz review for a rundown of what you can learn in the eCom Hacks Academy.

    If you’re considering to avail of the training included in eCom Hacks Academy, take note that the price is 1,999 USD. Before enrolling, it’s best to know what to expect, which are the following:

    1. Training Course

    Jared teaches what he called dropsurfing, which is different from the more commonly known dropshipping. Here are some differences between the two:

    • Accordingly, dropsurfing only sells viral products while dropshipping sells what seems like a profitable product of your own choice.
    • With dropsurfing, you can travel the world without worrying for your inventory, unlike in dropshipping where you need to buy products in bulk, which could pile up in your garage.
    • Dropsurfing uses Shopify as its store while dropshipping uses both Shopify or Amazon. However, the difference is controlling traffic sources for dropsurfing, and it only hopes to make a sale on Amazon.
    • The profit dropsurfing promises for using Shopify ranges from 30-40%, which is higher from dropshipping earnings that range from only 5-10%.

    The dropsurfing concept is what Jared offers through his course: a dream business where you can work at home and travel any time. In the course, he shows you how it’s done from his own formula, which consist of the following:

    • Structure of the store
    • Techniques to convert leads
    • Effective ways to find products
    • Partnering with suppliers
    • Ads creation and scaling
    • Customer service

    Moreover, the content of the course that incorporates videos are as follows:

    • Module 1 – Overview of the structure, which has ten lessons, such as how to register with Shopify’s free 21-day trial, creating a store, establishing your domain name, phone setup, your store’s mode of payment, and basic search engine optimization (SEO) meta descriptions. Although helpful, almost all of these are available online.
    • Module 2 – Talks about setting up your store, which comes in 16 lessons. It focuses on conversion rate methods, email setup, and maximizing sales through upsells and free shipping.
    • Module 3 – Includes four lessons focusing on the products, from finding products and suppliers, to the fulfillment of orders through Oberlo.
    • Module 4 – Has 16 lessons that discuss strategies to keep your store running. Marketing campaigns such as Facebook Ads and using it like a pro, testing methods, and your budget are included in this module.
    • Module 5 – A bonus lesson that talks about conversion hacks, customer services, customer audience, and templates for abandoned cart email, which are in PDF form.
    1. Pros

    The best part of the eCom Hacks Academy is that it is legitimate, unlike many online training courses being offered on the internet these days.

    Moreover, the following are pros that make the eCom Hacks Academy beneficial:

    • Proven Method – Since the structure and formula are personally tested by its founder, eCom Hacks Academy’s strategies can give you financial freedom, similar to what happened to Jared.
    • Suitable for Beginners – Since lessons are understandable, a zero-knowledge Shopify wannabe can learn a lot from the training.
    • Teaches, Not Feeds – Unlike other courses that offer a website they’re affiliated to, Jared’s academy only guides you on how to create and operate your own site. You may even learn how to increase your sales through a new website, akin to what happened to Walmart.
    1. Drawbacks

    The training program may teach you a lot, but like any other program, there are also drawbacks to the eCom Hacks Academy. Here are some of them:

    • Expensive – A lot of online training courses come way cheaper than what Jared offers, and with the content of the program, it has a high price.
    • Not suitable for Shopify experts – Because the content is not new for existing Shopify users, the structure may only be beneficial for beginners. When it comes to setting up an account and website, which existing users may already know, it may not be worth the price for them.
    • Unrealistic Expected Sales – A promise of 5 million USD as your income may be too much. Moreover, the highlight that attracts people, which is working for four hours each week while earning 5 million USD, is a high expectation. Especially if you’re a beginner, this may not be reachable.

    Conclusion

    This review guide may help you balance your expectations regarding the eCom Hacks Academy training program. What is guaranteed is the legitimacy of Jared’s academy, but his claims may not be realistic, as his working style may not be applicable when starting up. Reaching a large amount of income may mean working hard and working smart, but it may take some time for most people. Nevertheless, feel free to try out the training program if you think this will suit and benefit you.

     

     

     

  • IoT to drive BLE market to 1.6b devices by 2023: ABI

    IoT to drive BLE market to 1.6b devices by 2023: ABI

    ABI Research forecasts that Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices will exceed 1.6 billion annual shipments by 2023. Growth in segments like smart home, beacons and asset tracking, emerging IoT applications, alongside growth in existing key markets and the emergence of audio over BLE will enable the technology to achieve a CAGR of 27% between 2018 and 2023, tripling in size.

    Andrew Zignani, senior analyst at ABI Research, says the growth in BLE stems from continued technical enhancements that take advantage of opportunities arising from growing number of applications in various vertical markets.

    “BLE’s ubiquitous support in mobile devices, combined with its ability to support mesh networking, beacon functionality, and most recently, centimeter level location accuracy with the introduction of Bluetooth 5.1 and radio direction finding (RDF), is enabling BLE to be increasingly leveraged within smart consumer devices, larger scale home and commercial building automation environments, and RTLS deployments with more stringent accuracy requirements,” says Zignani.

    By 2020 Bluetooth is anticipated to enable high-quality audio streaming over BLE, providing a boost for the existing headset market and the emerging True Wireless audio device market.

    Zignani cites announcements at CES2019 such as Dialog Semiconductor demonstrating an audio over BLE proof of concept utilizing their SmartBond SoCs. “From 2020, we expect the Bluetooth audio market to take advantage of upcoming enhancements to better support truly cable-free earbud experiences while enhancing the battery life and user experience, though it may take some time for the standardization process to translate to wider mobile and ecosystem support,” explains Zignani.

    BLE chipset providers continue to innovate to provide further improvements in power consumption, further extending battery life and enabling support for battery-free devices via energy harvesting.

  • Calzedonia pays the price in Russell Street

    Calzedonia pays the price in Russell Street

    Italian fashion brand Calzedonia has reportedly renewed its Causeway Bay lease at a 15 per cent increase.

    According to reports in business media, the firm re-signed for the 400sqft retail space with just a month to spare on its existing contract at a cost of HK$9 million (US$1.15 million) for one year on the world’s most expensive retail strip, Russell Street.

    The rental translates to $750,000 ($95,674) per month, a typical figure for the shopping street that demands pricier rentals than even New York’s 5th Avenue. The street is a must-see for big-spending luxury retail hunters from Mainland China.

    The opening of the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge and high-speed Express Rail Link is expected to attract higher numbers of tourists and reverse the city’s trends of falling rentals, but to date the increases has not met expectations.

    Calzedonia operates 16 outlets in Hong Kong, including those for its Intimissimi and Falconeri brands.

    The opening of the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge and high-speed Express Rail Link is expected to attract higher numbers of tourists and reverse the city’s trends of falling rentals, but to date the increases has not met expectations.

    Calzedonia operates 16 outlets in Hong Kong, including those for its Intimissimi and Falconeri brands.

  • Vietnam’s exports to Japan increase rapidly in Q1

    Vietnam’s exports to Japan increase rapidly in Q1

    Elimination of many tariff lines for goods under the CPTPP has helped Vietnam’s exports to Japan increase sharply in the first quarter of this year, according to the General Department of Customs.

    Vietnam’s export value to Japan in the first quarter surged 6.7 per cent year on year to US$4.6 billion, the general department said. Việt Nam became one of three markets gaining an export value in the billions of US dollars to Japan, after the US and China.

    In March 2019 alone, the export value to Japan reached $1.7 billion, a sharp increase of 62.3 per cent month on month and a surge of 2.7 per cent year on year.

    The strong growth in Vietnam’s export value to Japan was attributed to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). According to this agreement, Japan for the first time has pledged to completely eliminate tariffs for the majority of Việt Nam’s agricultural and seafood products exported to this market.

    That meant Japan immediately abolished 86 per cent of tariff lines, equivalent to 93.6 per cent of Việt Nam’s export value to Japan, and then this figure will increase to 90 per cent of tariff lines within five years.

    On the other hand, the Việt Nam-Japan and ASEAN-Japan free trade agreements have created advantages in tariffs for some of Việt Nam’s seafood products exported to Japan.

    About 62.5 per cent of Vietnam’s total goods items exported to Japan in the first quarter gained strong growth compared to the same period last year, according to the general department.

    The major export products to Japan included textiles (export value of about $900 million), means of transport and spare parts ($630 million), machinery and equipment ($450 million) and seafood products ($306 million).

    Especially, the fertiliser exports to this market had a sudden growth in the first quarter of 2019 to 8,126 tonnes, earning $3.7 million. The exports rose up by five times in volume and about 11 times in value year on year.

    In addition, Vietnam saw strong growth in exports of some goods to Japan in the first quarter, including chemical products (up 70 per cent), animal feed and raw materials (up 56.8 per cent), ore and minerals (up 52 per cent), all kinds of steel (up 49 per cent) and plastic materials (up 43 per cent).

    Meanwhile, Japan sharply reduced imports of cassava and cassava products from Vietnam, with a reduction of 99.6 per cent in volume and 98.5 per cent in value over the same period, despite the average export price of cassava surging by 3.3 times to $886 per tonne.

    In 2018, Vietnam’s goods export value to Japan reached more than $18.8 billion. Textiles and garments accounted for the largest proportion with over 20 per cent of the total export value. Meanwhile, seafood, furniture and footwear respectively hold 7.4 per cent, 6.1 per cent and 4.5 per cent.

  • New Financial Institution Launched in Singapore

    New Financial Institution Launched in Singapore

    A news Singapore-based firm, formed by home-grown industry veterans, targets financial technology, regulatory technology, infrastructure, and sustainability-driven enterprises. Licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Vanda Global Capital, formed by home-grown industry veterans, is focused on grooming high potentials in the technology vertical, and in impact-driven companies reflecting environmental, social and governance causes.

    The firm targets financial technology, regulatory technology, infrastructure, and sustainability-driven enterprises. Vanda prioritizes and emphasizes unwavering support of Singapore-based initiatives, congruent with Singapore’s vision of establishing the nation as a leading fintech hub, the company said on Tuesday.

    At the helm of Vanda is its CEO, Low Wei Ling, a banking and finance industry veteran of over 25 years of experience and with a solid track record in internationally acclaimed investment banking, asset management, universal and private banking business franchises.

    She serves the MAS Banking Advisory Group and was awarded the International Outstanding Young Private Banker of the Year for exemplary leadership globally. She is a judge of the MAS Global Hackcelerator & Fintech Awards.

    Vanda Global Capital’s leadership management team also includes industry visionaries like Richard Eu Yee Ming of Eu Yan Sang International and Wong Joo Seng of Spark Systems and co-founder of M-DAQ.

    As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Board of Vanda Global Capital, Eu Yee Ming, who holds a Law Degree from University of London, was a merchant banker, stockbroker, venture capitalist and is also the Non-Executive Chairman of Eu Yan Sang International, a healthcare company that focuses on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with annual revenues of over S$300 million.

    Co-Founder & Non-Executive Director of the Board of Vanda Global Capital, Wong Joo Seng is a banking and finance veteran and a venture partner of Vickers Venture Partners. He is founding CEO of GK Goh Financial Services, the derivative trading subsidiary of GK Goh Holdings, and also co-founder of M-DAQ and the company’s founding Chairman.

  • Vietnam Airlines approved for listing on HoSE

    Vietnam Airlines approved for listing on HoSE

    The national carrier Vietnam Airlines (UPCoM: HVN) has gained approval of the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) to list its 1.4 billion shares on the southern bourse.

    The company will move to HoSE from the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) and the stock ticket will remain as HVN.

    The company’s market value on HoSE is approved at VNĐ14 trillion (US$602 million).

    Vietnam Airlines planned to switch to HoSE from UPCoM in 2018, but the decline of the stock market in the second half of 2018 made the firm delay its plan until now.

    The national carrier sold 49 million shares, equal to 3.48 per cent of the total, for VNĐ1.09 trillion at the initial public offering (IPO) in November 2014.

    In 2016, the Japanese aviation firm ANA Holdings bought 8.8 per cent of Vietnam Airlines’ capital for $108 million.

    In 2018, Vietnam Airlines posted a record-high revenue of VNĐ96.8 trillion, up 17 per cent year on year.

    Its pre-tax profit for 2018 rose 34 per cent year on year to VNĐ3.24 trillion.

    Vietnam Airlines shares on UPCoM have increased by nearly a quarter since the end of last year, ending Tuesday at VNĐ41,200 per share.

    The private-equity new-age carrier Vietjet is now the only aviation firm that lists shares on the stock market with the market value of $3 billion.

  • Techcombank targets US$504.3 million in pre-tax profit

    Techcombank targets US$504.3 million in pre-tax profit

    Techcombank has targeted a pre-tax profit of more than VNĐ11.7 trillion (US$504.3 million) in 2019, representing a 10 per cent year-on-year increase.

    The target was approved at its annual shareholders’ meeting held in Hà Nội last week.

    It also planned to increase its total assets by 17 per cent to VNĐ375.8 trillion this year while holding outstanding loans at VNĐ245.4 trillion, up 32 per cent from last year. Its bad debts would be limited to less than 2.5 per cent in 2019.

    In 2018, Techcombank achieved high business results. Its pre-tax profit was up 32.7 per cent from the previous year at more than VNĐ10.6 trillion.

    These helped the bank achieve return on average assets (ROAA) of 2.9 per cent and return on average equity (RAE) of 21.5 per cent.

    Nguyễn Lê Quốc Anh, Techcombank’s CEO, said the two criteria had not only been among the highest among banks in Việt Nam but also surpassed big scale banks in India and Thailand.

    In addition, Techcombank successfully mobilised capital to raise its capital adequacy ratio (CAR) to 14.3 per cent, much higher than the level stipulated by the State Bank of Vietnam as well as the minimum level according to Basel II.

    Techcombank was among the few commercial banks last year which were assigned higher credit growth limits of 18 per cent with priority given to those who met Basel II’s capital safety and risk management standards ahead of schedule.

    “The bank plans to grow revenue by 20-30 per cent a year and retain 20 per cent of profit. In order to increase revenue, instead of growing debt balance, the bank would focus on raising fees (expected to account for 50 per cent of the total revenue),” Anh said.

    He added that Techcombank always focused on controlling credit growth from the central bank to ensure sustainable growth of the economy.

    Anh said Techcombank was among the banks to have successfully resolved bad debt. All of its debts were sold to VAMC and totally resolved two years ago. It had also well controlled credit quality by its strict risk warning and management system.

    With its profits listed in the top three banks in the country’s banking system in 2018, Techcombank’s shareholders agreed to continue to retain earnings to invest in creating growth momentum in the future.
    Hồ Hùng Anh, the bank’s chairman, said the bank wanted to retain profit to strengthen its equity and ensure the requirements of the central bank and Basel II are met.

    At the meeting, shareholders also approved a plan to issue 10 million shares under the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) programme at a price of VNĐ10,000 to increase its charter capital to more than VNĐ35 trillion.
    The bank said it would focus on growth contributed by service fees thank to implementing a modern banking transaction system for corporate customers and improving their experiences through online payments and life insurance products.

    In addition, it would develop new solutions in house lending, car lending, credit and payments to meet increasing demands of customers.

    Anh added the bank would start construction of two new buildings on Lý Thường Kiệt Street (Hà Nội) and Lê Duẩn (HCM City) this year. The two buildings are expected to become operational in 2021.

    Hồ Hùng Anh was re-elected to the position of chairman of Techcombank’s board of directors for the third consecutive term.

    Other members include Nguyễn Đăng Quang, Nguyễn Thiều Quang Nguyễn Cảnh Sơn, Đỗ Tuấn Anh, Lee Boon Huat, Saurabh Narayan Agarwal and Nguyễn Nhân Nghĩa.

    The new management board would continue to implement its customer-centric strategy, invest in technology to develop a digital foundation and big data while improving risk management to reach high ratings with prestigious ratings organisations.

  • Habeco forecasts profit to drop a third to 10-year low

    Habeco forecasts profit to drop a third to 10-year low

    The Hà Nội Beer-Alcohol-Beverage JSC (Habeco) has forecast its post-tax profit will fall 36 per cent year-on-year to VNĐ310 billion (US$13.3 million) in 2019, the lowest in 10 years.

    The announcement will be reported at the firm’s annual shareholder.

    Other topics that will be brought up at the meeting include the projection of total production, total revenue and dividend payouts.

    In 2019, total production is projected at 438 million litres, including 434.5 million litres of beer and 3.6 million litres of mineral water.

    Total revenue for 2019 is predicted to reach VNĐ8.27 trillion and pre-tax profit is expected to touch VNĐ384.5 billion.

    The company will also ask shareholders to pass a 10 per cent dividend payout for 2019.

    According to the company’s board of directors, the beer industry has gradually approached its break-even point with annual growth rate of 5 per cent.

    Habeco’s sales volume in the north and central regions in 2018 fell 3 per cent year-on-year. The company has also encountered strong competition from other firms such as the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage JSC (Sabeco) and Heineken Vietnam.

    In addition, increases to the special consumption tax and production costs had also hit home.

    In 2019, the board of directors will keep restructuring the company and developing local retailers in the central and southern regions.

    The company will strive to maintain its market share in the traditional markets in the northern and northern coastal regions.

    In 2018, Habeco recorded VNĐ484 billion in total post-tax profit, down 26.4 per cent year-on-year. It plans to pay a 8 per cent dividend for 2018.

  • UOB Partners Local E-commerce Platform To Mine Opportunities

    UOB Partners Local E-commerce Platform To Mine Opportunities

    United Overseas Bank has partnered with a popular e-commerce platform to build ecosystem partnerships. This follows a string of partnerships announced with other high profile online platforms.  United Overseas Bank (UOB) announced a regional alliance with local e-commerce platform Qoo10 on Monday, complementing the bank’s efforts to help small businesses seize opportunities in the digital economy. Qoo10, with more than three million buyers, is the top e-commerce platform in Singapore.

    «Our alliance with Qoo10 enables us to extend our touchpoints to provide small businesses with the financing they need directly on the e-commerce site, helping them to take advantage of opportunities quickly as they arise,» said Lawrence Loh, Head of Group Business Banking at UOB.

    In January this year, Qoo10 launched QuuBe, a blockchain-based e-commerce platform which already has more than two million products on the marketplace. Through the alliance, Qoo10 will be able to tap UOB’s holistic suite of financial solutions to help consumers and merchants buy and sell products more easily on both the Qoo10 and QuuBe platforms.

    «Partnering established and trusted allies such as UOB enables us to empower our merchants and customers with readily accessible solutions that provide greater financial flexibility in running a business or making purchases,» says Ku Young Bae, CEO of Qoo10.

  • Cardboard cafe opens in Mumbai

    Cardboard cafe opens in Mumbai

    An entire cafe has been built out of corrugated cardboard in Mumbai, India by local architectural studio Nudes, according to a report in Dezeen.

    In an attempt to demonstrate its versatility, every structure in the cardboard cafe outside the core frame is made from recycled, biodegradable materials, including the furniture. The features were constructed by compiling numerous layers of the cardboard, which was then sculpted into shape. Some furniture in the cardboard cafe, including high chairs for children, are built in segments that can be assembled at will.

    According to Dezeen, the cardboard “is also an insulating material that absorbs sound well in a noisy cafe environment.”

    “Building with cardboard meant constant exploration and inquiry into material performance,” said a Nudes spokesperson. “The table tops are impregnated with wax treatment to prevent water absorption and facilitate ease of maintenance.

    “We are hoping that this space evolves into a vibrant hub for dialogue and conversation on the role of design, material & technology in protecting the earth’s resources towards a sustainable future.”

  • Docomo to cut mobile rates by up to 40%

    Docomo to cut mobile rates by up to 40%

    Japan’s NTT Docomo has announced a new simplified mobile service fee structure that the operator says will reduce mobile charges by between 20% and 40%.

    The operator plans to completely separate handset and service fees and unify voice, SMS and data charges in response to criticism that its existing plans have been too complicated and hard to understand.

    The new plans are divided into two categories – a “Gigalight” plan which will charge based on data consumed, and a flat rate “Gigaho” plan for heavy data users.

    Docomo also plans to start offering family discounts of 500 yen ($4.46) per month for contracts covering two family members, and 1,000 yen per month for contracts with three or more members.

    Docomo’s new fee structure is also a response to pressure from the Japanese government on operators to reduce mobile service fees to bring them in line with prices in comparable markets.

    The operator expects that the new fee structure could reduce its income by as much as 400 billion yen ($3.6 billion) per year.

  • Vietnam Poultry industry needed to further develop

    Vietnam Poultry industry needed to further develop

    Vietnam needed to promote the development of it’s poultry industry due to rising demand for eggs and meat in the domestic and global markets. Experts made the comments at a meeting organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in Hà Nội on April 12.

    Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến said it was necessary to focus on production to meet quality standards at home and abroad.

    This would create favourable conditions for domestic poultry products to meet hygiene and safety standards in export markets such as Japan, Republic of Korea (RoK) and some ASEAN countries, Tiến said.

    It would also help local businesses expand their production scale and export to potential markets including China and the Philippines, he said.

    However, experts said the industry needed a strategy to increase other processed poultry products including processed chicken and duck and other products processed from eggs.

    They said this year, localities should draw up support policies for farmers, owners and enterprises to invest in poultry development.

    Deputy Head of MARD’s Animal Husbandry Department Nguyễn Văn Trọng said Vietnam held huge potential for poultry production because of domestic high demand with a population of nearly 100 million, excluding export demand.

    According to Trọng, output had increased to 1 million tonnes of meat and 11 billion eggs.

    Current trends in consumption of animal products show that pork accounts for 65 per cent of Vietnamese meals while chicken is just 20 per cent, therefore, the domestic poultry industry needs to enhance chicken farming for domestic consumption and export.

    Nguyễn Quang Hiếu, deputy general director of De Heus Co, Ltd, said to boost exports, the industry should build safe areas free from disease and have mechanisms to protect livestock farms, ensuring quality standards of export markets.

    According to the ministry, joining international organisations as well as bilateral, multilateral and free trade agreements would help domestic poultry production meet domestic consumption and export demands.

    The average consumption for the average person is 89 eggs per year while the figure is 125-340 eggs in Thailand and Indonesia and 404 in Israel.

    In addition, the domestic confectionery and processed food industry was also developing an increasing demand for eggs.

    Global production in 2019 was expected to increase by 3 per cent compared to 2018 to reach 98.4 million tonnes, marking the strongest growth rate over the past five years mainly due to rising demand in China. That was a great opportunity for the nation to promote poultry meat and egg exports, according to the ministry.

    The poultry production industry was applying scientific and technological advances in production to improve quality of products and competitiveness.

    However, there was an imbalance between supply and demand because there were small scale farms with high production costs and risk of disease.

  • AuMake in trading halt

    AuMake in trading halt

    Shares in daigou-focused retailer AuMake have been placed in a trading halt pending an announcement on an acquisition and related capital-raising.

    The company, which last month extended its bricks-and-mortar presence beyond Sydney, has requested the halt be lifted before the open of markets on Wednesday April 17, or when its anticipated announcement is released to the market.

    AuMake sells Australian skin care, supplements and milk formula to Chinese tourists and personal exporters.

    It has 17 stores across Sydney, Brisbane, and Auckland and is aiming for a bigger bite of the $2 billion cross-border commerce market.

    In February the company announced it had halved its losses after more than doubling its sales in the space of a year, with its internal sales forecast upgraded 30 to 40 per cent in March after it flagged the expansion of its stores.