What does the comparative course of Italy’s ceramic, marble and granite exports show?
Italy is the largest exporter of ceramic products in the world, third in finished marble products and fourth in finished granite. However, how did the exports of these products compare?
Starting in the period 2019-2020, despite the unprecedented difficulties caused by the pandemic and the lockdown, exports of ceramic products recorded a much smaller decline than finished marble and granite products. Specifically, ceramics decreased in export value by -2.31%, finished marble -15.02% and finished granite -8.22%.
Over a decade, between 2011 – 2020, the value of exports of ceramic products in Italy increased + 26.34%, finished marble products + 13% while finished granite products fell -24.63%. In the Chart that follows we see the exports of ceramic products, finished marble and granite between 2011 – 2020.
In the Graph we observe the great difference between the export value of ceramics in relation to the finished marbles and granites. The average export value of ceramics is around 3.6 billion a year, of finished marble products 800 million euros and of granite 400 million euros.
The large increase in ceramics is due to the continuous increase in exports to the main destinations that are generally common to all three products. In the Table below we see the changes in the value of exports per country and product between 2011 – 2020.
In the Table we observe the decline in exports to Russia in all three products. We are also seeing a drop in exports of finished marble and granite and a rise in ceramics in major destinations, Austria, Canada and Spain. Exports of finished marble products to Germany fell, granites remained stable and ceramics rose.
In conclusion, according to the value of exports in 2020, the main destination of Italian ceramic products is France, followed by Germany and the USA. Respectively, the main destination for finished marble products is the USA. , Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France and the United Arab Emirates. In the finished granite products are the USA, Germany and Switzerland.
*The statistics are derived from the analysis of the Tariff Class Codes – Harmonized System (HS) Codes:
*According to the New Harmonized System of the World Customs Organization of 2017, the ceramic products with tariff class HS 6907 and HS 6908 were merged into HS 6907.
According to the New Harmonized System of the World Customs Organization from 2017 unglazed ceramic products such as tiles, flags and pavers (HS6907) and glazed ceramic products (HS6908) were merged under HS6907.
6907: Ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles; ceramic mosaic cubes and the like, whether or not on a backing (excl. of siliceous fossil meals or similar siliceous earths, refractory goods, tiles specially adapted as table mats, ornamental articles and tiles specifically manufactured for stoves).
6908: Glazed ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles; glazed ceramic mosaic cubes and the like, whether or not on a backing (excl. of siliceous fossil meals or similar siliceous earths, refractory ceramic goods, tiles specially adapted as table mats, ornamental articles and tiles specifically manufactured for stoves).
680221: Marble, travertine and alabaster articles thereof, simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surface (excl. With a completely or partly planed, sand-dressed, coarsely or finely ground or polished surface, tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680223: Granite and articles thereof, simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surface (excl. With a completely or partly planed, sand-dressed, coarsely or finely ground or polished surface, tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802 10 00, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680291: Marble, travertine and alabaster, in any form (excl. Tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, imitation jewelery, clocks, lamps and lighting fittings and parts thereof, buttons, original sculptures and statuary, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680293: Granite, in any form, polished, decorated or otherwise worked (excl. Tiles, cubes and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, imitation jewelery, clocks, lamps and lighting fittings and parts thereof, original sculptures and statuary, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
*Due to consistent data flow, statistics may alter during the year
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