Vietnam’s exports of cassava and cassava products in July 2022 reached 904 USD million, up 32.1% compared to the same period last year. In particular, the Chinese market accounts for 93% of the total export volume of our country…
Exports of cassava are favorable. (Photo: Internet)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that, in terms of commodity categories, cassava starch accounts for the largest proportion, 80.5% of the total value of cassava and cassava products exported. The dried cassava slice group accounted for 19.5% of the total export value of cassava.
CASSAVA EXPORTS INCREASED DUE TO CEREAL SUPPLY DISRUPTION
According to experts in the cassava industry, the strong growth in exports of Vietnamese cassava and cassava-based products is due to the market increase in buying for animal feed processing, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict causing the global supply of cereals to be disrupted.
In July 2022, the country exported 328 thousand tonnes of cassava and cassava products, accounting for nearly $150 million. Cumulatively in the first 7 months of the year, exports of cassava and cassava products reached 2.11 million tonnes; the turnover was 904 million USD, up 10.5% in volume and 32.1% in value compared to the same period last year.
In particular, in the first seven months of 2022, China purchased 1.95 million tonnes of Vietnam’s dried cassava slices and cassava starch, accounting for 93% of the country’s total export volume. This is due to the high price of petroleum, China has increased the use of cassava and corn to produce biofuels (ethanol), causing the demand for imported cassava in the country to increase.
In addition to ethanol production, China increased imports of cassava slices and starch for animal feed, in the context of rising prices of animal feed materials.
Vietnam is currently the second largest supplier of cassava product exports to China. According to the China Customs, in the first 5 months of 2022, China’s import turnover of cassava slices reached 1.05 billion USD, up 45.2% compared to the same period in 2021. Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos are the three largest cassava slices suppliers for China.
In particular, Thailand is the largest cassava slice supplier to China. In the first 5 months of 2022, China’s imports from Thailand reached $936.65 million, up 52.8% compared to the same period in 2021, Thailand’s market share accounted for 89% of China’s total imports, up sharply from 84.6% in the first 5 months of 2021. China’s cassava imports from Vietnam reached 108.7 million USD, up 4.6% compared to the same period in 2021.
Regarding cassava starch, in the first 5 months of 2022, China imported 2.02 million tonnes of cassava starch, worth 1.05 billion USD, up 31.3% in volume and 46.2% in value compared to the same period in 2021, mainly from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Vietnam is the second largest market to supply 744,320 tonnes of cassava starch to China, worth $379.67 million, up 228.6% in volume and 270% in value over the same period in 2021.
THE CASSAVA SECTOR NEEDS TO OPEN UP THE EUROPEAN MARKET
At this time, the northern cassava starch processing plants are focusing on bringing goods to the border gate to release inventory before the new cassava harvest begins next September. Many cassava starch processing plants in the Central Highlands are pausing their production for annual maintenance before entering the new season. Domestic cassava prices are still holding high.
It is forecast that in the last 5 months of the year, demand for cassava and cassava starch from foreign importers will still increase due to the increase in food and grain stocks for consumption. In addition, the energy and animal feed industries also switched to imports of cassava products as a substitute, leading to increasing demand for cassava.
However, in the Chinese market, cassava and cassava starch of Vietnam are in strong competition with Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. On the other hand, the Chinese market changes in import and export policies have a significant impact on Vietnam’s agricultural export enterprises, including the cassava industry.
From mid-July 2022, the Thai Cassava Starch Association announced to lower the floor price of exported cassava starch to $535 per tonne, down $5 per tonne compared to the end of June 2022; while keeping the purchase price of domestic cassava starch at 17.5 Baht/kg, stable compared to the end of June 2022.
This move by Thai cassava exporters is considered to lower prices to increase their competitiveness with competitors from Vietnam in the context of a sharp increase in Vietnamese cassava exports over the past 7 months, which has taken a share of the market from Thai businesses.
According to experts, Vietnam’s exports of cassava and cassava-based products remain highly dependent on the Chinese market, which is hiding many potential risks. When the prices of many foods in Europe are rising, especially wheat, Vietnamese enterprises need to catch the opportunity to open their markets for cassava products in the EU.
According to the Vietnam Cassava Association, the average export price including cassava slices and cassava starch in Vietnam is currently USD 435-450/tonne, up 9% compared to the same period in 2021. In 2021, cassava exports reached nearly 2.9 million tonnes, worth nearly $1.2 billion. With the current favorable export situation, it is forecast that cassava exports in 2022 will bring more than 1.5 billion USD.
Under the Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), cassava starch is the second duty-free product after rice. Meanwhile, the duty on exports of cassava starch outside the quota is 166 EUR/tonne; fresh, frozen, or sliced cassava outside the quota is 9.5 EUR/kg.
“Currently, some members of the Vietnam Cassava Association have brought products to some markets other than China such as Belarus, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Middle East, and Africa by taking advantage of FTAs. Therefore, the study of improving the quality of exported cassava to markets with FTA, especially the EU market, has the potential to increase the export turnover of this product, ” Mr. Nghiem Minh Tien, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Cassava Association, said.
Vietnam is currently the second largest supplier of cassava product exports to China. (Photo: Internet)
In Tay Ninh and some Central Highlands provinces, along with enterprises, the localities are also working to improve the quality of cassava, meeting the requirements of the difficult export market.
For example, Gia Lai is the locality with the largest cassava material area in the country (with more than 81,000 hectares, an area of 15.47%, and output of 15.42% of the country). This province is giving priority to production projects to produce cassava under high-tech, environmentally friendly biotechnology, develop deep processing of cassava products according to advanced technology, and meet the standards of the import market of EU countries, USA, Japan, and Korea…