GERMANY - Exports of German kitchen furniture increased by 1.5 percent to € 1.064 billion in the first half of the year. Following the growth of 3.2 percent in the first quarter, growth slowed somewhat towards the middle of the year.

According to the preliminary foreign trade figures published by the VdDK (The Association of the German Kitchen Furniture Industry), kitchen furniture exports to China in particular were down by around 25 percent to € 33.9 million.

In the first quarter, the decline was even higher at just under a third. Kitchen exports to Switzerland (-3.9 percent) and the United Kingdom (-5.0 percent) also fell in the current reporting period. Deliveries to Russia fell by 6.5 percent.

By contrast, growth was achieved in the three most important export markets, France (+ 7.5 percent), the Netherlands (+ 4.7 percent) and Austria (+ 1.3 percent).

At the end of June Germany's kitchen furniture imports totaled € 44.5 million, down 7.7 percent on the previous year.