Thailand remains a global leader in agricultural exports, with durian, cassava, and coconut generating strong revenues, though some products show signs of slowing.
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, Director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) and spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, has reported that Thailand’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports in 2024 totalled US$52.19 billion (THB1.8358 trillion), marking a 5.9% increase from the previous year.
This comprises agricultural products worth US$28.83 billion (THB1.0146 trillion), up 7.5%, and agro-industrial products worth US$23.36 billion (THB821.21 billion), up 4.1%.
Several Thai agricultural and agro-industrial products recorded the highest export values in the world, reinforcing Thailand’s readiness to serve as the “Kitchen of the World”.
The top Thai products ranked first globally by export market share were:
Cassava starch:
Thailand exported cassava starch worth US$1.61 billion, an 8.86% increase year-on-year. This accounted for 57% of the global cassava starch export value of US$ 2.83 billion, even as the overall global market contracted by 2.59%. This highlights Thailand’s strength and competitiveness in this product category.
Durian:
Durian exports totalled US$3.82 billion, down 5.87% from the previous year. However, Thailand retained a 54.2% share of the global durian market, which was valued at US$7.04 billion and expanded by 7.27%. The divergence in trends signals that Thailand must adapt swiftly to maintain its leadership in this growing market.
Fresh or dried coconuts:
Exports reached US$226.2 million, a decline of 23.68% from the previous year. Thailand held a 37.2% share of the global coconut export market, which grew by 12.19% to US$607.6 million. This indicates that Thailand is losing ground and must take urgent steps to enhance competitiveness.
Natural rubber:
Thailand exported rubber valued at US$4.97 billion, a robust 37.26% year-on-year growth. This gave Thailand a 31.3% share of the global rubber export market, which was worth US$15.89 billion and grew by 26.13%. The figures confirm Thailand’s improving position in this sector, with export growth outpacing the global average.
Canned pineapple:
Thailand exported canned pineapple worth US$325.6 million in 2024, marking a 7.14% increase from the previous year. The country captured 30.8% of the global canned pineapple export market, valued at US$1.06 billion. Global exports grew by 5.86%, underscoring Thailand’s stronger-than-average performance.
Processed chicken:
Exports of processed chicken reached US$2.94 billion, up 8.12% from the previous year. Thailand secured a 25.6% share of the global market, which totalled US$11.46 billion. Global growth in this category stood at 6.07%, indicating Thailand’s continued competitiveness and rising demand for Thai poultry.
Canned tuna:
Thailand exported canned tuna worth US$2.49 billion, representing a strong 20.15% year-on-year increase. With a 25.5% share of the global canned tuna market – valued at US$9.76 billion – Thailand outperformed the global growth rate of 15.04%.
