Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for August 2026 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.

     In August 2026, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 28.6% and 34.6% respectively over August 2025.

     Comparing the first eight months of 2026 with the same period in 2025, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 29.1% and 30.0% respectively.

     Comparing the three-month period ending August 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods increased by 2.1%, while the volume of imports of goods decreased by 2.1%.

     Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.

     Comparing August 2026 with August 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 18.7% and 18.0% respectively.

     As regards price changes in the first eight months of 2026 over the same period in 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 10.1% and 9.8% respectively.

     Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.

     The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2025, the index increased by 0.6% in August 2026 and 0.3% in the first eight months of 2026.
      
     Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.

     Comparing August 2026 with August 2025, increases were recorded for the total export volume to Vietnam (56.5%), Taiwan (53.1%), the USA (41.8%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (31.3%). On the other hand, the total export volume to India decreased by 2.5%.

     Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: the Mainland (21.9%), Vietnam (15.8%), the USA (14.1%), India (13.1%) and Taiwan (13.0%).

     Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.

     Comparing August 2026 with August 2025, increases were recorded for the import volume from all main suppliers: Korea (166.9%), Vietnam (37.4%), the Mainland (31.4%), Singapore (26.4%) and Taiwan (7.0%).

     Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Korea (37.9%), Taiwan (30.2%), Vietnam (20.2%), the Mainland (17.4%) and Singapore (16.7%).

Further information

     Details of the above statistics are published in the August 2026 issue of "Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers". Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).

     Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3863 2599).

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is conducting comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     From noon on October 14 to noon today (October 15), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 167 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website (www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 267 898 samples of food imported from Japan (including 166 765 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 57 060 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.