By Zhao Yu

The 34th East China Fair opened in Shanghai on March 1, marking the first major foreign trade exhibition of the year for many exporters.

According to the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce, 276 companies from Ningbo have participated, operating a total of 390 booths—both figures higher than last year. The delegation included 70 specially designed booths and 320 standard booths.

Daily consumer goods accounted for the largest share of exhibition space with 169 booths, followed by tableware and kitchen supplies (49 booths), household appliances and electronics (37 booths), and home décor and gifts (34 booths). By district, Yinzhou led with 93 booths, followed by Haishu with 68 and Ninghai county with 50.

For exporters, the fair served as an early indicator of overseas demand in the new year. "We've brought upgraded kitchen appliances and outdoor camping products," said Zhou Zhou, marketing director of Xinhai Technology Group Co., Ltd. "The exhibition helps us gauge demand trends and better understand overseas buyers' purchasing plans, which is important for setting the tone for this year's production."

Shao Huangye, a sales representative at Sonluk Battery who has been a regular at the Fair for the past two decades, said the company adjusted its packaging strategy for the Japanese market. "Retail shelf space in Japan is often limited, so our usual blister packs aren't ideal," she said. "This time we introduced shrink-wrapped products to better suit local display needs."

"Ningbo's companies have participated in 33 consecutive sessions of the Fair. The response from exhibitors has been largely positive, with many expressing confidence about overseas orders in the months ahead," said an official from the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Commerce.