Commerce Ministry seeks export of bananas, pineapples, and pork under Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership

[webfact]

Commerce Ministry seeks export of bananas, pineapples, and pork under Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership

 

   

BANGKOK, 18 April 2019 (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce is promoting the competitive export of bananas, pineapples and pork under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement in which import tariffs are exempted.

 

Department of Foreign Trade Director General Adul Chotinisakorn said today the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement currently provides for Japan’s tariff-free import of Thai farm goods including 8,000 tons of bananas, 300 tons of fresh pineapple and 1,200 tons of seasoned pork. No import tariffs are to be collected on the fresh bananas and pineapple from Thailand while the import tariff for the seasoned pork is only 16%, compared to the 20% collected previously. Thai bananas and pineapple used to be subject to 20-25% and 17% tariffs respectively under Japan’s import tariff regulations.

 

The export volume of those farm goods was not very large last year, with pineapple exports only amounting to about five tons. The small volume was in part attributed to the Japanese demand for each pineapple to weigh no more than 900 grams. In addition, only 1,947 tons of bananas were exported due to short supply and demand for quality control last year, thus discouraging the exporters from expanding their Japanese market. However, seasoned pork has been exported to Japan in full quota amounting to 1,200 tons yearly.

 

The Department of Foreign Trade has encouraged exporters to make more use of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement and offered to issue certificates on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit the department’s website www.dft.go.th or call Hotline 1385.

 

-- © Copyright nnt 2019-04-18

[Chang_paarp]

They do understand that the Japanese actually test food imports for contamination of undesirable chemicals don't they? 

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Ministry of Commerce is promoting the competitive export of bananas, pineapples and pork under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement in which import tariffs are exempted.

Would that be the same idea as 'imported tariffs' and 'exempted' for importing Beer Laos under Asean rules, but by which the Thai Customs Department implemented a special 'surcharge' at the same rate instead.

[Peterphuket]

Maybe they have to keep the pork in the country.

When I read about the major problems in China about swine fever, the prices could rise extremely.

I've read that as many as 150-200 mln. pigs are killed, and not because the fever but as a precaution.

[madmitch]

Does Thailand have any tariff-free imports?

 

Their FTAs only seem to work one-way.

[Mavideol]

5 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

They do understand that the Japanese actually test food imports for contamination of undesirable chemicals don't they? 

hope they know in what type of scrutiny they are going into, Japanese don't joke when it comes to clean safe food

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

However, seasoned pork has been exported to Japan in full quota amounting to 1,200 tons yearly.

Insignificant.

Japan imported estimated a total 1.48 million metric tons of pork in 2017. It is the largest customer of U.S. pork, importing 393,648 metric tons in 2017.  Currently the US wants a free trade agreement with Japan to open its market to more US agricultural and livestock products. US currently pays 4.1% import plus a variable on tonnage. As such it is likely that the US undersells pork in Japan than does Thailand.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

the import tariff for the seasoned pork is only 16%, compared to the 20% collected previously.

However, if Thailand joins the Trans-Pacific Partnership — an 11-member FTA including Japan and Australia - it will be the beneficiary of no tariffs. But that works in both directions.

[bluesofa]

58 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Insignificant.

Japan imported estimated a total 1.48 million metric tons of pork in 2017. It is the largest customer of U.S. pork, importing 393,648 metric tons in 2017.  Currently the US wants a free trade agreement with Japan to open its market to more US agricultural and livestock products. US currently pays 4.1% import plus a variable on tonnage. As such it is likely that the US undersells pork in Japan than does Thailand.

However, if Thailand joins the Trans-Pacific Partnership — an 11-member FTA including Japan and Australia - it will be the beneficiary of no tariffs. But that works in both directions.

I would have more confidence in an FTA than a useless Asean agreement that no other member state is prepared to question Thailand's cheating, regarding the quasi import duty of Beer Laos by simply calling it something else to get around the non-enforced rules (rather like Thai traffic regulations in reality).

[Justgrazing]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The export volume of those farm goods was not very large last year, with pineapple exports only amounting to about five tons. The small volume was in part attributed to the Japanese demand for each pineapple to weigh no more than 900 grams. In addition, only 1,947 tons of bananas were exported due to short supply and demand for quality control last year, thus discouraging the exporters from expanding their Japanese market. However, seasoned pork has been exported to Japan in full quota amounting to 1,200 tons yearly.

5 tons of pineapple .! Is that it .! Even allowing for the Japanese's discerning desire for ones less than 900g's ( quite plausible as Japanese girls by and large have norks coming in at less than a kilo a side ) that is p*ss poor .. Or to put it in perspective that is one truck load .. Providing the brakes don't fail or wheels fall off prior to delivery .. 

But love the bit about the demand for quality control contributing to only 1900 odd tons of 'nana's being shipped .. 

 

[justin case]

let them import 20 pigs for one toyota, import tax free