Samoa’s Tapioca Starch Trade: Modest Exports and Growing Imports

Samoa, a picturesque island nation in the South Pacific, has established itself as a player in the global tapioca starch trade.

Exports

In 2021, Samoa exported a modest $53 worth of tapioca starch, positioning itself as the 99th largest exporter of this product worldwide. Tapioca starch, during the same year, ranked as the 798th most exported product in Samoa. New Zealand emerged as the main destination for Samoa’s tapioca starch exports, accounting for the entire export value of $53. This highlights the significance of the trade relationship between Samoa and its neighboring country, New Zealand.

Notably, the fastest-growing export market for Samoa’s tapioca starch was New Zealand. This indicates the increasing demand for Samoa’s tapioca starch in the New Zealand market and presents opportunities for further expansion and collaboration.

Imports

Samoa’s import of tapioca starch in 2021 amounted to $35.1k, positioning the country as the 99th largest importer of tapioca starch globally. Tapioca starch itself ranked as the 1059th most imported product in Samoa during the same year. Samoa primarily imports tapioca starch from Thailand, with the entire import value of $35.1k coming from this source.

The import market for tapioca starch in Samoa has experienced notable growth, particularly from Thailand. Between 2020 and 2021, imports from Thailand saw a significant increase of $13.9k. This growth reflects the growing demand for tapioca starch within Samoa and highlights the country’s reliance on Thailand as a key supplier.

Tariffs

In 2018, the average tariff imposed on tapioca starch imports by Samoa was 8%. Among the countries with the highest import tariffs for tapioca starch were Angola, Burundi, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Botswana, all with a Most Favoured Nation duty rate treatment of 8%. These tariff rates have implications for the cost of imported tapioca starch in Samoa and underscore the trade policies in place.

Data from BACI