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Thai
Rice Export
Thai Rice Export Classified by Major Importing Countries
Thailand’s top 20 rice importers in 2001
| No. |
Country |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
2001
(Jan-Apr) |
2002
(Jan-Apr) |
%
Change |
| 1 |
Nigeria |
1,496,571 |
874,151 |
683,880
|
517,828
|
584,567 |
229,606.00 |
294,239.81 |
-30.41 |
| 2 |
Senegal |
814,687 |
625,766
|
368,711 |
174,339 |
96,800 |
194,189.35 |
317,115.02
|
171.61 |
| 3 |
Indonesia |
446,972 |
250,361 |
1,119,826 |
1,736,452 |
513,944 |
57,498.51 |
287,460.66
|
-13.49 |
| 4 |
Malaysia |
351,477
|
330,519 |
318,697 |
354,905 |
458,032 |
56,459.95 |
93,402.80 |
-2.69 |
| 5 |
South Africa |
343,159 |
428,910 |
321,082 |
293,218 |
186,593 |
104,614.25 |
102,773.77
|
129.08 |
| 6 |
Iran |
321,956 |
611,198 |
649,242 |
366,920 |
361,785 |
84,460.39 |
112,539.98
|
9.2 |
| 7 |
Ivory Coast |
305,143 |
57,005 |
119,201 |
70,033 |
16,664 |
72,614.58 |
113,438.90 |
157.84 |
| 8 |
Singapore
|
290,979 |
263,167 |
284,406 |
254,260 |
273,873 |
84,846.53 |
95,443.94 |
-88.27 |
| 9 |
US |
284,274 |
243,705 |
243,422 |
224,169 |
214,802 |
94,330.95 |
81,606.55 |
-13.49 |
| 10 |
Hong Kong |
267,000 |
254,215 |
257,154
|
228,098
|
248,043 |
88,175.37 |
85,799.80 |
26.14 |
| 11 |
Iraq |
263,389 |
288,225 |
214,983 |
160,150 |
187,055
|
65,090.65 |
58,650.00 |
-17.24 |
| 12 |
China |
254,842 |
272,298 |
174,720 |
254,798 |
321,207 |
64,823.95 |
22,739.89 |
79.77 |
| 13 |
UAE |
223,867
|
140,098 |
209,756 |
44,643 |
28,748 |
59,791.71 |
19,471.49 |
196.67 |
| 14 |
Philippines |
190,756 |
26,644 |
93,477 |
194,750 |
225,406 |
46,293.40 |
5,431.16 |
-1.11 |
| 15 |
Japan |
136,602 |
143,617
|
140,146 |
69,565 |
169,320 |
96,464.76 |
86,629.36 |
-4.77 |
| 16 |
Yemen |
122,350
|
140,650 |
89,829 |
42,700 |
68,900 |
42,449.93 |
53,544.82 |
-56.52 |
| 17 |
Netherlands
|
103,686 |
84,220 |
48,996 |
56,303 |
55,448 |
53,318.46 |
22,017.75 |
-100 |
| 18 |
Ghana
|
97,401 |
93,255
|
91,739 |
46,130 |
30,342 |
26,903.50 |
48,365.00 |
69.83 |
| 19 |
Benin
|
83,257 |
100,250 |
122,159 |
26,540 |
50,604
|
44,046.50 |
24,139.00 |
-75.01 |
| 20 |
Saudi Arabia |
69,101
|
64,705 |
72,733 |
66,147 |
66,686 |
14,876.84 |
14,712.12 |
-7.9 |
Unit: Metric tons
Source: The Department of Foreign Trade
Note: The countries’ order is based on statistics in 2001
On the whole, Thailand’s export markets have been concentrated
in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In 2001, Nigeria was
the biggest buyer of Thai rice with 1,496,571 tons, followed
by Senegal with 814,687 tons, a trend continued from 2000.
Indonesia has been among the top three rice importers since
1997. However, its Thai rice imports dropped to 10th place
in 2000, due to a switch to buy Vietnamese rice. In 2001,
Indonesia returned to its position as the third largest buyer
with 446,972 tons, due to its enormous population and restricted
domestic production from seasonal floods and droughts.
In 2001 Malaysia and South Africa maintained a steady import
pace at 351,477 tons and 343,159 tons, respectively, while
Iran fell from the third place in 2000 to the sixth place
last year with 321,956 tons, down 47 percent from the previous
year. Imports by Iraq and China also declined to eleventh
and twelfth places last year with 263,389 tons and 254,842
tons, respectively, after reaching sixth and seventh places
a year earlier. However, imports by these two countries have
been stable over the past few years.
The Ivory Coast hit record Thai rice imports totaling as
much as 305,143 tons in 2001, up approximately four times
from a year earlier. Thus, Ivory Coast came in the seventh
place in 2001 after Iran, after trailing behind in the eighteenth
place in 2000. Also, an increase in imports by the Philippines
in 2001, reaching 190,756 tons, was remarkable after import
slumps in 1999 and 2000. Seasonal shortfalls in output in
the country necessitate the need to import rice ahead of lean
periods. Gradual import growth is also perceivable in countries
such as Singapore, the US, Hong Kong, UAE, Japan, Yemen, the
Netherlands and Ghana.
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