Thai exports of cassava and cassava products decreased by 16.4% year-on-year in the first quarter, as cassava chip output declined.
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, said the export value of cassava and cassava products tallied 33.2 billion baht for the first three months of 2024, down 16.4% year-on-year.
The export value of native starch amounted to 18.1 billion baht, up 49.1%, while modified starch tallied 8.58 billion baht, up 4.99%.
The export value of other cassava products such as chips totalled 5.93 billion baht, down 67.9%, cassava pellets 76.3 million baht, down 76.2%, and others at 466 million baht, down 48%.
Thailand is the world's leading exporter of cassava products and the country's market share of global export sales was 18.7% for the period, followed by Vietnam (10.2%), Laos (9.37%), the US (5.28%) and China (4.1%), according to the Global Trade Atlas, a database that compiles official import and export figures from sources around the world.
China remains Thailand's top export market for cassava products, accounting for 48% of the total.
Other important export markets include Indonesia (12.8%), Japan (9.99%), Taiwan (5.44%) and Malaysia (3.73%).
This harvest season produce is gradually being released to the market between October 2023 and September 2024, accounting for 80% of the total with an average yield per rai of 3,096 kilogrammes, down by 6.27% year-on-year.
Thailand is projected to produce 26.9 million tonnes of cassava and cassava products in 2024, down by 12.2% year-on-year, according to the Internal Trade Department.
The decline was attributed to the cassava mosaic virus and the impact of drought.
"Tapioca flour is used for food processing, paper production, beverages, textiles and production of ethanol. It is naturally gluten-free, low in calories and sugar-free, making it a suitable choice for health-conscious consumers, which increases its market value, particularly in the food industry," said Mr Poonpong.
"The ability of cassava to withstand difficult growing conditions and tolerance to drought makes it a resilient crop, contributing to food security. Tapioca is considered a crucial agricultural commodity. If the government supports R&D on disease resistance and increased yields, while promoting further development of a variety of cassava products using technology and innovation to add value, it could raise the income of more than 700,000 households."