Something that was being produced and exported from Mediterranean was jewels. At least in China the jewels were mostly jade based, any other kind of complicated jewelry was usually imported, and some of the most complicated ones, like those that were composed from layers of metal and glass, were being produced in the Roman Empire. India imported wine, which is a commodity that can survive transport and time quite well.<p>From your quoted piece you deduce that the outflow of wealth and the disproportionate trade that most likely caused it was because of the poor selection of the trade-able goods made in the Mediterranean, but I think that it was because the Roman Empire was rich and the other markets - not so much (or at least not rich enough as markets to worth bearing the inherent risks of trade).