The Thai appetite for imported apples is on the rise, marked by a 49% rise in imports from New Zealand last year and a 60% uptick in imports from all destinations in the first four months of 2016.

According to UN Comtrade statistics, Thailand was the fifth-leading market for New Zealand apple exports by country in 2013 and 2014, but last year it took third place with 32,423 metric tons (MT) purchased.

This represents 9% of New Zealand's total, and is only a few thousand MT shy of the USA which registered a 21% decline in imports. The number one spot continued to be held by the U.K., which notched a 13% increase to reach 51,284MT.

In terms of Thailand itself, more recent data from January through April this year shows the country upped its apple imports significantly to hit 68,028MT, according to state customs statistics.

New Zealand's share of this amount rose 6% year-on-year, but it must be noted the period does not correspond to the country's peak season. It came in third behind the U.S., which had volumes down 32% at 6,334MT, while China led the pack my a mile with apples exports to Thailand up by 116% at 54,260MT.

France and Chile both had fewer exports during the period, but Canada went from zero registered shipments to 92MT and Australia did the same with 74MT.

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