Major importing countries
Japan
Around 50 percent of Thai tapioca starch exports go to Japan.
For the past few years, Japan has been the second largest Thai
tapioca starch importer after Taiwan, with an annual import
of 200,000 tons. Most starch products exported to Japan are
tapioca starch and modified starch. Thailand supplies more than
90 percent of Japan’s starch, and Malaysia supplies the rest.
Table: Japan’s import volume of
Thai tapioca starch in 1996-2001
|
Year |
| 1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
| Import volume (tons) |
221,625 |
226,936 |
204,152 |
255,938 |
300,046
|
280,374 |
Source: Department of Business Economics
Starch utilization in Japan each year is quite unlimited, and
apart from finished starch imports, it also imports raw material
for processing into finished starch for domestic consumption.
Two tariff measures are currently levied
on starch imports:
1. Starch products (HS: 11.08) fall into
the category of “Global Import Quota,” which includes all
flour/starch products, with a 25 percent import tariff. Thai
tapioca starch represents about 75 percent of total Japanese
starch imports classified under this tariff category.
2. Starch products such as esterified
starches and other derivatives (HS: 3505.100) are allowed
to be imported under an import ceiling, with a flexible measuring
system or import preference granted to imports from developing
countries including Thailand. These preferential import duties
are granted to Thai importers as long as there is no impact
on Japanese flour/starch production. About 97 percent of total
Japanese imports under this category are from Thailand.
| Export
market |
 |
|
