In 2025, Hunan exported 3.89 billion lighters, increasing by 21.3% over last year. The export value reached 2.46 billion CNY, rising 21%. Both the volume and value accounted for more than half of the national lighter exports.
Hunan performed brilliantly in both the export volume and growth rate of lighter export throughout the year, with positive growth recorded in ten months. January marked the largest growth. In that month, the volume of exported lighters increased by 85.8% to 500 billion, with the toal value reaching 330 million CNY, marking a year-on-year growth of 95.5%. In 2025, the lighter exports to Africa hit 850 million CNY, rising 54.1%; that to the Belt and Road countries amounted to 2.25 billion CNY, up 24.2%; and, that to 11 ASEAN countries reached 460 million CNY, rising 17.7%. Among the top ten partner countries, seven recorded growths in both export volume and value, with South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire showing manifold increases.
Shaoyang is the core engine of Hunan's lighter export. In 2025, lighters were exported from four cities—Shaoyang, Yongzhou, Changsha, and Changde. Among them, Shaoyang exported 2.36 billion CNY of lighters, growing by 23.8% and taking up 95.6% of the provincial total. Among the 18 lighter exporters around the province, the Hunan Dongyi Electric Co., Ltd. achieved over one billion CNY of exports, 70% of the total export value of the province.
The global lighter market is being ignited by such factors as accelerated urbanization course, upgraded consumption, and the expansion of online marketing. It is estimated that the scale of the global lighter market will grow to 32.166 billion CNY by 2029. The Changsha Customs Authority suggests relevant enterprises to align with specific access standards and consumption preference of different markets, customizing safe and environment-friendly products with high value added and enhancing their international brand competitiveness.
This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Pang Yuehui
Chinese source: hunantoday
