Export market
Thai raw sugar export
Table Total thailand raw sugar export
during 1998-2002
|
Month
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
|
|
Volume
|
Value
|
Volume
|
Value
|
Volume
|
Value
|
Volume
|
Value
|
Volume
|
Value
|
| Jan |
33,810
|
48,381
|
111,360
|
807
|
217,458
|
1,114
|
138,697
|
1,372
|
287,435
|
2,037
|
| Feb |
162,940
|
2,168
|
117,296
|
835
|
221,965
|
1,227
|
271,647
|
2,632
|
310,697
|
1,954
|
| Mar |
193,757
|
2,210
|
210,292
|
1,366
|
354,980
|
1,766
|
207,022
|
1,777
|
433,419
|
2,726
|
| Apr |
220,478
|
2,135
|
453,389
|
2,889
|
284,293
|
1,325
|
296,810
|
2,607
|
306,553
|
1,829
|
| May |
200,616
|
2,049
|
367,110
|
1,873
|
318,395
|
1,680
|
384,115
|
3,537
|
474,050
|
2,791
|
| Jun |
110,164
|
1,158
|
226,740
|
1,141
|
238,443
|
1,223
|
202,610
|
1,834
|
112,374
|
694
|
| Jul |
120,903
|
1,373
|
129,777
|
779
|
191,945
|
1,206
|
176,697
|
1,760
|
63,307
|
424
|
| Aug |
119,985
|
1,164
|
163,930
|
486
|
99,006
|
760
|
104,996
|
1,005
|
29,513
|
199
|
| Sep |
119,136
|
1,023
|
69,361
|
384
|
120,057
|
847
|
153,065
|
1,449
|
7,978
|
54
|
| Oct |
23,202
|
188
|
40,086
|
236
|
87,255
|
738
|
110,050
|
942
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Nov |
2,051
|
19
|
26,866
|
146
|
77,239
|
668
|
72,443
|
473
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Dec |
56,217
|
393
|
77,413
|
402
|
79,647
|
706
|
100,164
|
703
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Total |
1,363,259
|
14,368
|
1,997,622
|
11,349
|
2,321,692
|
1,336,687
|
2,218,286
|
20,098
|
2,025,326
|
12,712
|
Remark: (Volume: ton, value:
Baht)
Source: Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE)
There is a downturn of Thai
cane and sugar industry in the past few years. And this has
become as a shock to may observers as Thai sugar industry was
once dubbed one of the country's most promising industries,
according to the research paper " The Thai sugar industry
crisis and opportunities" written by Viroj Na Ranong. Thailand's
sugar export had been growing in the past two decades and the
countries in one of the top five of the world's largest exporter.
The confidence was strengthened when the Thai Baht was floated
in mid-1997 and it looked like the industry stood to gain from
a weaker Baht because of its massive export. Many people, who
are involved with this industry, believe that the industry had
entered an era of prosperity. From late 1997 until early 1998
the value of the Baht depreciated by as much as 50 percent.
The export price (in Baht), have been substantially below the
domestic price for almost 20 year, suddenly became higher and
resulted in a shortage of sugar in the domestic market. Both
growers and millers felt that the regulated system once designed
to protect them had become an obstacle against their attempt
to raise the domestic price. They then geared toward liberalization
and many insiders also vowed that they would make Thailand number
one exporter in the future.
According to statistic export from
Office of Agriculture Economics (OAE), export volume of Thai
raw sugar to foreign markets around the world has reach 2 million
tons in the past few years. In 1998, grand total for Thai raw
sugar export was at a mere 1.3 million tons and increased slightly
to 1.9 in the following years. And then the export volume jumped
to 2.3 and 2.2 million tons in 2000 and 2001, respectively,
due to an increased of production and high demand from exotic
markets. Total value of Thai sugar export was fluctuate in each
year as a result of world sugar price in each year. As we can
see that although the export volume of 1.9 million tons in 1999
was bigger than the volume of 1.3 million tons in the previous
year, total value in 1999 was only11,349 million baht meanwhile
total value in 1998 was 14,368 million baht.
Main destinations for Thai sugar
export are U.S., Philippines, Cambodia, Lao, Japan, Myanmar
and Germany. In 2000 and 2001, U.S.A. continue to be a biggest
market for Thai sugar. Thai Customs Department reported that
Thailand gained about 430 million baht in 2001, compared with
460 million baht in 2000 showing a 6.6 percent decreasing.
Total quantity of sugar export from Thailand to foreign markets
during January - October in 2002 was around 358 million baht.
Moreover, there is also a report that value of Thai sugar
export (in term of US dollars) to some markets in 2001 such
as Japan, China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore have increased
for 24, 1,038, 621, 6,714 and 122 percent, respectively. Export
value to China has increased with a very big amount because
total sugar production in the country is not enough with domestic
consumption. Moreover, when China becomes a member of WTO,
private sectors can import sugar liberally. In the past, the
government of China mostly manages sugar import.
FAO (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations)
reported that Brazil is the biggest sugar exporter in the
whole world for several years. In 2000, the country exported
6.8 million tons of sugar, compared with 6.6, 8.7 and 12.6
million tons in 1997, 1998 and 1999, respectively. Thailand
is the second sugar exporter after Brazil in 2000, with the
export volume of 4.3 million tons. However, Thailand has been
one of top five-sugar exporter for several years. Another
exporters are Australia, Cube, France, Germany, South Africa,
U.K, Columbia and U.S.
It is estimated that Thai sugar export in 2002 is gloomy because
the increasing of world sugar production, which could makes
world sugar price drop down. It is expected that in 2002,
the cane production should be not less than 70 million tons
and the sugar production should be about 7.70 million tons.
Given an anticipated slowdown in domestic demand due to economic
recession in the 1998-2000 periods, the domestic consumption
should be 2.10 million tons in 2002. Thus export volume is
estimated to be 5.00 - 5.50 million tons.
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