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Industry updates

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Trade & going globalFood & restaurants2 min read

Thailand opens consultation on WTO tariff-quota rules for tea and coffee: two application windows, 80% use requirement

Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade began a public consultation on 14 October 2026 on draft rules for the 2027–2029 WTO tariff quotas on tea, coffee beans and coffee products. Comments close on 12 November. The draft changes application rounds, allocation shares and the usage obligation, which matters to firms exporting tea or coffee-related goods to Thailand. It is still a draft.

Key points

  1. Annual quota caps stay at 625 tonnes of tea, 5.25 tonnes of coffee beans and 134 tonnes of coffee products; applications drop from three to two rounds (10 business days from 1 December or the day after gazetting, and 10
  2. In the first round, firms with import records would get 50% (down from 70%) and the general group 50% (up from 30%); for tea 312.50 tonnes and for coffee products 67 tonnes go to the record-holders
  3. The usage requirement falls from 95% to 80%; failing it means losing eligibility for next year's first-round application. Returns would be allowed once a year (by 30 June) with no reason needed, instead of three times

Background

A tariff quota applies a lower duty to imports up to a set volume and a higher duty above it, so how the volume is divided among importers directly affects how easily goods can enter.

The same draft was put out for comment from 29 April to 13 May 2025, so this is a second consultation. The report conveys the Thai authority's proposal; the final rules need to be confirmed once decided.

What it means for shops

Japanese exporters of tea or coffee products to Thailand, and their Thai importers, could see changes in how easy the quota is to obtain and how heavy it is to administer. The general group gets a larger share, but a penalty remains if the quota is not used up.

What shops should do

  1. Ask your Thai importer whether your product falls under the tariff quota and whether the importer holds and uses quota

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Original releaseJETRO ビジネス短信jetro.go.jp ↗

Summaries are written by Seiichi Studio based on the original releases. Always check the source for the exact details.

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