Washington state upbeat on apple sales in Thai market

Apiradee Phanuroote, a representative for the Thailand Washington Apple Commission, said yesterday that demand for imported apples had risen gradually each year.
This shows that Washington apples should have plenty of room to grow.
According to the Customs Department’s report for last year, apples were the leading imported fruit at 128,981 tonnes, followed by 41,507 tonnes of grapes, 7,175 tonnes of oranges, 1,398 tonnes of kiwi fruit and 570 tonnes of strawberries. The apple market has climbed to Bt9 billion from Bt8.7 billion last year. China is the dominant supplier with 74 per cent of the market, leaving the United States with 13 per cent, New Zealand 11 per cent and France 2 per cent.
This year, 1 million boxes of Washington apples were shipped to Thailand. The organisation expects to enjoy about 20-per-cent growth in the Thai market in the following years. Apiradee said that since China and New Zealand had free-trade agreements with Thailand, while the United States does not, their exports of fresh fruits including apples have sprouted rapidly in the past three to five years.
Washington will try hard to emphasise marketing, especially life-stage marketing, to capture more of the market here.
Life-stage marketing is a method of targeting consumers and characterising consumer behaviour. Different varieties of apples will be aimed at different ages of consumers.
Promotions of Washington apples will be concentrated in cities and at modern retailers because consumers here are shopping more at supermarkets, while people in big cities have higher purchasing power and greater concern for their health.
The Washington Apple Commission is a state-owned organisation that represents apple growers and traders in the state. It was established to promote sales of Washington apples and conduct marketing activities worldwide. It has more than 30 offices, including the one in Thailand, in countries where the state’s apples are sold.