Pegasus Business and Market Advisory - Market for Food Imports in Southeast Asia

Marketing Research and Consulting Services

Pegasus Business and Market Advisory is an independent firm offering services in business consulting and market research on Asia-Pacific.

30 June, 2006

Pegasus

Business and

Market Advisory

I Home I About Us I Our Research Services I Our Advisory Services I Our Experience I Contact Us I Site Map I

Business and Market Snapshots - Southeast Asia

Import of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables by the Southeast Asian Markets, July 2004

The market for imported fresh fruits and vegetables in the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Brunei totalled nearly US$659.3 million in 2003. Out of the total, imports by these Southeast Asian countries from other Southeast Asian countries totalled US$104.9 million or 15.9% of the total imports. Imports from countries outside Southeast Asia totalled US$554.5 million during the period of which China, Australia, New Zealand, United States and India are the major exporters. Exports from these countries to the six Southeast Asian countries reached US$447.1 million in 2003.

The largest market in Southeast for imported fresh produce is Malaysia and in 2003 imported US$281.3 million. Singapore being a city-state with limited land for agriculture depends on imports for more than 95% of the fresh produce consumed in the country. Singapore is the second largest importer in the region for a country with a population of just over four million. Imports from Singapore reached US$196.3 million in 2003 followed by Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Brunei has a small population of just 370 thousand and imported only US$10.1 million during the period.

Singapore is the largest consumer of imported fresh produce in the region on a per capita basis and in 2003 per capita consumption US$46.1. Brunei is the smallest importer among the six countries but has the second highest per capita consumption of imported fresh produce at US$27.3 during the period. Though Brunei has sufficient land for agriculture to feed its population, the agriculture industry is relatively undeveloped compared to other Southeast Asian countries except Singapore. The largest consumer on a per capita basis is Malaysia followed by Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

China was the major exporter and exported US$260.0 million of fresh produce to the six countries in 2003. Australia was the second largest exporter, (US$74.1 million) followed by India (US$46.7 million), United States (US$43.6 million) and New Zealand (US$22.2 million). China's leading position in Southeast Asia is its close proximity to the region and prices of produce from China are generally lower than from Australia, United States and New Zealand. Though India is the third largest exporter to Southeast Asia, most of its exports are to the Malaysian market and to a lesser extent Singapore.

Pegasus Business and Market Advisory (PBMA) provides business and marketing research and advisory services focussing on Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. Contact corporate@pegasus-asia.com for further information.

top

Source: Respective country statistics

back to main