Thailand's Fruit Exports Surge Amid Rising Global Demand
Thailand reports a record $6.51 billion in fruit exports for 2024, driven largely by durian shipments and significant demand from China.
Thailand's total fruit exports reached $6.51 billion in 2024, surpassing the five-year average of $5.86 billion and representing 22.6% of the nation's overall agricultural exports, according to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).
Fresh fruit garnered $5.15 billion, with durian exports leading the way.
The value of durian shipments alone exceeded 134 billion baht, comprising 72.9% of the total fresh fruit export value.
A record 859,183 tonnes of durian were shipped, primarily to China, which accounted for a staggering 97.4% of these exports.
Other markets included Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, and the United States.
Longan exports reached 527,927 tonnes, yielding $571 million, again with China as the primary market, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India.
Additionally, mangosteen exports amounted to 284,860 tonnes worth $491 million, most of which were also sent to China.
Other markets for mangosteen included Vietnam, South Korea, the US, and the UAE.
Young coconut exports totaled 257,428 tonnes valued at $217 million, with 82.7% shipped to China and the remainder to markets including the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Netherlands.
Mango exports were recorded at 106,753 tonnes worth $133 million, with South Korea being the largest market, accounting for 61.8% of total shipments.
Other key markets for mango included Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, and Laos.
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, the director-general of TPSO, noted the significance of rising global demand and the high quality and variety of Thai fruit as key factors in this export success.
However, he also acknowledged the increasing competition Thailand faces in the durian market, especially with China allowing imports from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia since 2023, in addition to maintaining stricter import regulations.
To address these competition challenges, Mr. Poonpong emphasized the need for Thailand to swiftly adapt and explore new export markets, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, to diversify its market reliance.
Despite a contraction in overall fruit exports, attributed to adverse weather conditions impacting yields, optimism persists concerning the sector's revenue potential for both the country and its farmers.
The Thai Commerce Ministry is actively seeking to enhance export capacities by identifying new market opportunities, supporting value-added processing in the agricultural sector, and implementing production management strategies to ensure market stability.
Fresh fruit garnered $5.15 billion, with durian exports leading the way.
The value of durian shipments alone exceeded 134 billion baht, comprising 72.9% of the total fresh fruit export value.
A record 859,183 tonnes of durian were shipped, primarily to China, which accounted for a staggering 97.4% of these exports.
Other markets included Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, and the United States.
Longan exports reached 527,927 tonnes, yielding $571 million, again with China as the primary market, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India.
Additionally, mangosteen exports amounted to 284,860 tonnes worth $491 million, most of which were also sent to China.
Other markets for mangosteen included Vietnam, South Korea, the US, and the UAE.
Young coconut exports totaled 257,428 tonnes valued at $217 million, with 82.7% shipped to China and the remainder to markets including the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Netherlands.
Mango exports were recorded at 106,753 tonnes worth $133 million, with South Korea being the largest market, accounting for 61.8% of total shipments.
Other key markets for mango included Malaysia, Japan, Vietnam, and Laos.
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, the director-general of TPSO, noted the significance of rising global demand and the high quality and variety of Thai fruit as key factors in this export success.
However, he also acknowledged the increasing competition Thailand faces in the durian market, especially with China allowing imports from Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia since 2023, in addition to maintaining stricter import regulations.
To address these competition challenges, Mr. Poonpong emphasized the need for Thailand to swiftly adapt and explore new export markets, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, to diversify its market reliance.
Despite a contraction in overall fruit exports, attributed to adverse weather conditions impacting yields, optimism persists concerning the sector's revenue potential for both the country and its farmers.
The Thai Commerce Ministry is actively seeking to enhance export capacities by identifying new market opportunities, supporting value-added processing in the agricultural sector, and implementing production management strategies to ensure market stability.
