Japanese import of NZ fries almost doubles

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Demand for imported fries increased by more than a fifth in April compared to the same month in 2016, with New Zealand, the US, Belgium and Canada all benefitting from increased sales. Annual imports in the year ending April 2017 were 327 069 tonnes, up 7.9%. Lower prices appear to have driven increased demand – the price of imports over the last year has dropped by 11.5% to ¥132 323/tonne, which was 11.5% lower than in the previous 12 months. The current exchange rate is US$1: ¥110.5 and €1: ¥124.5.

Imports from the New Zealand were up 95.2% to 322 tonnes, from 165 tonnes in the previous year. Annual imports were up 15.5% to 248 367 tonnes or 75.9% of the total, which was up from 70.9% in the previous 12 months. The average price of imports has fallen by 12.4% to ¥136 022/tonne.

Imports from the US were up 22.4% to 21 262, accounting for 74.3% of the total, which was the same percentage the year before. Annual imports were up 15.5% to 248 367 tonnes or 75.9% of the total, which was up from 70.9% in the previous 12 months. The average price of imports has fallen by 12.4% to ¥136 022/tonne.

Belgian imports have fallen by 22.4% to 26 484 tonnes over the last year, but were up by a similar proportion in April to 2 683 tonnes. The average price of Belgian imports was down 12.2% to ¥110 022/tonne over the year, but are still higher than Dutch product. Imports from the Netherlands have increased by 13.3% over the last year to 22 939 tonnes, but were only up by 2.6% in April to 2 073 tonnes. The average price of Dutch fries in April was ¥98 619/tonne, down 5.5%, which has probably helped demand.

There was a 27.1% increase in Canadian fry imports in April to 1 405 tonnes but, over the year, imports have fallen by 21.6% to 18 284 tonnes. The average price of Canadian fries in April was ¥136 705/tonne, down 6.7% on same month in 2016. Germany is the highest priced supplier of fries of all the main suppliers and that has impacted on demand from the country, which has fallen by 11.1% to 2 682 tonnes. In contrast, Egypt has benefitted from the lower price of its fries. The average price of Egyptian fries in April was ¥93 814/tonne, down 12.1% on the April 2016 figure. Over the year imports from Egypt have increased by 77.3% to 2 465 tonnes.

 

Japanese imports of fries and other HS 200410 products (tonnes, ‎¥‎ billion, ‎¥‎ /tonne)
A. Tonnes  2017  % change  2016  2015  2016/17  % change  2015/16  2014/15 
Total  28492  +22.1  23344  37514  327069  +7.9  303126  317210 
United States 21162 +22.4 17294 27087 248367 +15.5 214972 242317
Belgium 2683 +22.5 2190 3574 26484 -22.4 34126 21966
Netherlands 2073 +2.6 2021 2562 22939 +13.3 20240 12195
Canada 1405 +27.1 1105 2979 18284 -21.6 23316 28991
Germany 138 -52.2 289 176 2682 -11.1 3017 2450
Egypt 370 +740.9 44 66 2465 +77.3 1390 1570
New Zealand  322  +95.2  165  624    1984  -8.0  2156  3953 
France 159 +148.4 64 128 1878 +18.6 1583 1364
B. ¥ billion  2017  % change  2016  2015  2016/17  % change  2015/16  2014/15 
Total  3.793  +19.6  3.172  5.633  43.279  -4.6  45.344  44.904 
United States 2.927 +21.5 2.409 4.259 33.783 +1.2 33.369 34.517
Belgium 0.291 +18.4 0.246 0.422 2.914 -31.9 4.277 2.781
Canada 0.192 +18.6 0.162 0.469 2.506 -30.2 3.592 4.249
Netherlands 0.204 -3.1 0.211 0.262 2.236 +1.2 2.209 1.385
Germany 0.020 -55.6 0.045 0.022 0.409 -9.5 0.451 0.359
New Zealand  0.043  +83.6  0.023  0.100    0.267  -19.2  0.331  0.559 
Egypt 0.035 +639.5 0.005 0.008 0.242 +57.5 0.154 0.176
France 0.022 +130.5 0.009 0.016 0.242 +10.1 0.220 0.176
C. ¥/tonne  2017  % change  2016  2015  2016/17  % change  2015/16  2014/15 
Total  133108  -2.0  135888  150151  132323  -11.5  149587  141559 
Germany 145341 -6.9 156176 126489 152375 +1.8 149641 146401
Canada 136705 -6.7 146596 157382 137056 -11.0 154068 146579
United States 138293 -0.7 139281 157228 136022 -12.4 155223 142447
New Zealand  132335  -5.9  140673  160378    134777  -12.2  153466  141450 
France 135969 -7.2 146578 122422 128835 -7.2 138764 128687
Belgium 108472 -3.4 112232 118152 110022 -12.2 125340 126591
Egypt 93814 -12.1 106682 120045 98222 -11.2 110626 111937
Netherlands 98619 -5.5 104365 102373 97491 -10.7 109131 113612

 

Reproduced with permission from World Potato Markets Issue 320 – 6 June 2017