Thailand’s Tapioca Starch Trade: Import and Export Trends

Thailand’s participation in the global tapioca starch trade highlights its dominant role as the leading exporter, serving major markets such as China, Chinese Taipei, and Japan. While its importation of tapioca starch remains relatively modest, Thailand’s sourcing from countries like Laos, Cambodia, and Germany showcases its engagement in global trade networks.

Thailand’s Tapioca Starch Exports

Thailand solidified its position as the world’s largest exporter of tapioca starch in 2021, with exports amounting to an impressive $1.64 billion. Tapioca starch ranked as the 30th most exported product from Thailand during the same year, underscoring its significance within the country’s export portfolio.

Thailand's Tapioca Starch Exports

China emerged as the primary destination for Thailand’s tapioca starch exports, accounting for a substantial share of $1.17 billion. Other significant export destinations included Chinese Taipei ($123 million), Japan ($61.4 million), the United States ($60.4 million), and Malaysia ($45.8 million). Notably, between 2020 and 2021, Thailand experienced remarkable growth in its export markets for tapioca starch, particularly in China with an impressive increase of $462 million. Chinese Taipei and Japan also demonstrated substantial growth, with exports rising by $27.6 million and $12.9 million, respectively.

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AfricaAlgeria612,864
AfricaGhana325,727
AfricaKenya46,523
AfricaMorocco385
AfricaMadagascar272
AfricaMozambique741,231
AfricaMauritania71,396
AfricaMauritius475,663
AfricaNigeria2,728
AfricaSenegal854,858
AfricaSouth Africa3,441,630
AfricaZimbabwe16,432
AsiaUnited Arab Emirates147,867
AsiaArmenia71
AsiaBangladesh5,082,545
AsiaBahrain2,433
AsiaBrunei222,002
AsiaChina1,172,557,087
AsiaCyprus1,268
AsiaHong Kong3,607,159
AsiaIndonesia24,985,573
AsiaIndia83,189
AsiaIran93,407
AsiaIsrael1,711,794
AsiaJordan2,270
AsiaJapan61,423,552
AsiaCambodia34,422
AsiaSouth Korea4,958,709
AsiaKuwait274,153
AsiaLaos2,374,279
AsiaLebanon154,569
AsiaSri Lanka596,845
AsiaMacau19,982
AsiaBurma2,248,472
AsiaMongolia32,123
AsiaMalaysia45,776,250
AsiaOman805,356
AsiaPakistan973,239
AsiaPhilippines42,461,232
AsiaQatar164,940
AsiaSaudi Arabia165,351
AsiaSingapore25,414,183
AsiaTurkey82,266
AsiaVietnam8,889,363
AsiaChinese Taipei122,761,033
EuropeAustria62,868
EuropeBelgium3,182,580
EuropeBulgaria1,846
EuropeSwitzerland717,924
EuropeCzechia111,463
EuropeGermany5,233,295
EuropeDenmark4,216
EuropeSpain523,605
EuropeFinland273,797
EuropeFrance3,016,606
EuropeUnited Kingdom4,957,430
EuropeGreece684,212
EuropeCroatia8,765
EuropeHungary12,343
EuropeIreland351,597
EuropeIceland458
EuropeItaly952,101
EuropeLatvia5,126
EuropeMoldova522
EuropeMalta481
EuropeMontenegro103
EuropeNetherlands9,387,730
EuropeNorway628,874
EuropePoland261,349
EuropePortugal49
EuropeRussia690,553
EuropeSerbia3,316
EuropeSlovenia2,922
EuropeSweden1,512,299
EuropeUkraine17,634
North AmericaCanada6,043,792
North AmericaCosta Rica16,462
North AmericaCuraçao479
North AmericaDominican Republic199,444
North AmericaHonduras731
North AmericaMexico449,992
North AmericaPanama57,048
North AmericaEl Salvador11,466
North AmericaTrinidad and Tobago24,589
North AmericaUnited States60,399,584
OceaniaAustralia8,036,431
OceaniaFiji346,890
OceaniaGuam2,495
OceaniaNorthern Mariana Islands3,769
OceaniaNew Caledonia51,910
OceaniaNew Zealand1,073,825
OceaniaPapua New Guinea189,496
OceaniaFrench Polynesia134876
OceaniaSamoa35,082
South AmericaBolivia24,853
South AmericaBrazil182
South AmericaChile32,629
South AmericaColombia3,076
South AmericaPeru117,539
South AmericaSuriname33,465
Table: Where Does Thailand Export Its Tapioca Starch (2021)

Thailand’s Tapioca Starch Imports

In 2021, Thailand positioned itself as the 35th largest importer of tapioca starch globally, importing a total value of $1.92 million. Tapioca starch ranked as the 3095th most imported product in Thailand, indicating a relatively moderate level of import activity within the country. Thailand primarily sourced tapioca starch from Laos, amounting to $1.36 million. Other notable import partners included Cambodia ($221,000), Germany ($86.7k), Brazil ($84.6k), and the United States ($67.6k).

During the same period, Thailand observed growth in its import market for tapioca starch, primarily driven by increased imports from Cambodia ($221,000), Brazil ($62,000), and Germany ($12.6k).

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AsiaIndonesia7,388
AsiaIndia54
AsiaJapan598
AsiaCambodia221,498
AsiaSouth Korea9
AsiaLaos1,360,524
AsiaMalaysia24
AsiaSingapore32,391
AsiaTurkey16
AsiaVietnam22
AsiaChinese Taipei5,443
EuropeAustria56,989
EuropeGermany86,720
EuropeNetherlands157
North AmericaUnited States67,641
South AmericaBrazil84,551
Table: Where Does Thailand Import Its Tapioca Starch (2021)

Tariffs

In 2015, Thailand implemented an average tariff of 23% for tapioca starch. Notably, countries such as Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, and Cape Verde imposed the highest import tariffs on tapioca starch, with a Most Favored Nation duty rate treatment of 30%.

Source: BACI and General Statistics Office of Vietnam