Despite being embargoed in July, latest European Union data confirm imports of Chinese pullovers dominated the market in the first three-quarters of 2005.
Total imports from all countries, including China, in these first nine months of the year were 17 per cent higher than during the corresponding period in 2004.
The Chinese impact can be measured by looking at imports from all other countries combined that reveal a 17 per cent fall during the same period.
Although imports from China have now ground to a halt for the current year, the country still sits top of the pile of EU pullover suppliers with a 33.2 per cent slice of the market, up from just 6 per cent last year.
Competing countries trail behind with former market leader, Bangladesh, struggling this year in second place.
It has seen shipments reduce by 8 per cent volume from last year and its market share has dropped from 23 to 18 per cent.
Turkey has to a degree resisted the Chinese onslaught by retaining shipments at around the 2004 level, although its market share has dipped slightly to 10 per cent.
All other countries behind the top three have less than five per cent of the EU market and, for the most part, have decreased from last year.
There was a positive note, however, for two exporters: Vietnam and Hong Kong.
Imports into the EU from Vietnam were 38 per cent higher by the end of September although the quantity is much lower than from other countries.
Shipments from Hong Kong are 15 per cent higher this year suggesting it has again become the focus of Chinese exporters looking for another way to access Europe.
This would indicate continuing business with Hong Kong over the next two years following the agreement in June between Brussels and Beijing to cap Chinese imports until the end of 2007.
China has been limited to 189.7 million pieces in 2006, much less than the 307 million items exported in the year to September.
However, this is still more than Bangladesh's 165 million and Turkey's 93 million, both of which have struggled this year.
2006 forecasts would indicate China filling its limits quickly which could create problems for European importers who would have to look elsewhere.
The leading two countries after China will be hoping to improve on 2005 especially in prices.
The average pullover cost European buyers 5.35?with China below this at 4.91?
Bangladeshi exporters demanded on average a low 3.76?which was only beaten by Vietnam offering 3.37?and equalled by Pakistan at 3.78?
Pricewise, Bangladesh would appear best placed to do extra business next year.
The cost of a pullover from Turkey, meanwhile, was a high 6.69?but could benefit from geographical proximity to the 25 EU member states.
