Dynamic markets for fruit juices in Asia.

• Date: 01 October 1995
• Author: Kortbech-Olesen, Rudy
• Published date: 01 October 1995
• Author: Kortbech-Olesen, Rudy

Fruit juice imports have risen rapidly in several Asian markets and should continue to move upward as demand expands further.

According to a forthcoming ITC study, several Asian markets have become particularly important outlets for fruit juices. Imports of fruit juices into the four markets covered by the survey, i.e. Hong Kong, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore, increased from US$356 million in 1990 to $618 million in 1994, a 74% increase. In quantity terms, imports into the four climbed from 184,741 tons to 350,541 tons over the 1990-94 period, a rise of close to 90%. Fruit juice imports into the eight largest markets in Asia went from $382 million to $682 million during the same years.

Japan accounts for the largest share of imports of the eight leading Asian markets, with 66% of their total import value in 1994, followed by the Republic of Korea (17%), Singapore (5%) and Hong Kong (3%). Japan and the Republic of Korea are not only the two main Asian markets for juices, but their imports also expanded the most rapidly during the period under review, by 75% and 87% respectively in value terms. The major reasons for the strong increase in juice purchases from foreign sources in these two markets are that import quotas in Japan were removed completely in 1992 and a gradual import liberalization got underway in the Republic of Korea during the period surveyed. In all four of these markets increased health consciousness and a trend towards buying beverages with a higher juice content, including 100% juices, have helped to push up sales.

Product preferences and buyers' requirements obviously vary from market to market. However orange juice, mainly frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ), will most probably remain the top import item among fruit juices in all four markets surveyed. Apple juice, mainly concentrate, is the second largest imported juice in Japan, and it is also a leading item in Hong Kong. Grapefruit juice and other citrus juices, primarily lemon, are relatively important imports in Japan. Mixtures of different juices are imported in fairly large quantities in all of the markets covered. Although Japan is the biggest importer of pineapple juice (mainly concentrate) among the Asian markets, this product is relatively more important in Singapore, where it is the third largest single juice imported. Imports of other tropical fruit juices and pulps are currently fairly small in all markets, although some openings exist for exporters of these items. It is quite possible that consumers' general interest in trying new products will stimulate sales of beverages based on tropical fruit through product development and aggressive marketing by major beverage manufacturers.

Japan and the Republic of Korea import fruit juices almost entirely in bulk, usually in concentrated form, for instance frozen concentrated orange juice. Imports into Hong Kong and Singapore likewise consist mainly of juices in bulk, but these markets are also interesting outlets for retail-packed juices and juice beverages.

Products covered

The study deals particularly with citrus and tropical fruit juices, although other fruit juices - those from the temperate zone such as apple and berry juices - are also discussed to some extent, as are vegetable juices. Tropical and non-tropical fruit pulp is covered to the degree that it is used as fruit juice raw material.

World trade

World trade (in terms of imports) in fruit juices and concentrates reached $4.87 billion in 1994. It ranged...