Country report: Thailand – Will the boom in thai pet food exports continue?

According to Euromonitor International, Thailand’s pet care market has a projected growth rate of 8.7% by 2029, making it one of the fastest-expanding in the Asia-Pacific area. The country’s companion animal population has also been rising in recent years with market research revealing it is home to 20.8 million pets as of 2025 – a number that is expected to hit 21.3 million next year.

A strategy for growth

The government of Thailand has a bold goal: to make it one of the top Asian countries in terms of trade competitiveness by 2027 – and the pet food market is an important part of this strategy.

In the first 7 months of 2025, Thailand exported 639,541 tons of pet food around the world, generating $1.9 billion (€1.6B), according to TradeMap data presented by the Thai Pet Food Trade Association. This value is 11% higher than the same period last year.

From 2023 to 2024, the country rose 2 positions in the global export ranking for the sector and became the second-largest exporter of pet food. It has now surpassed the US and France, and is outranked only by Germany.

2024’s growth was significant compared to the year before. Thailand recorded a 19% rise in quantity and an impressive 29% surge in value, recovering from losses in 2023. This positive scenario is made possible by a combination of factors turning Thailand into an attention-grabbing trade partner. These include low production costs, trade agreements with 15 countries and a well-established manufacturing sector.

i-Tail Corporation – one of the country’s most prominent pet food producers – announced a 5.3% quarter-on-quarter rise in sales in the second quarter of 2025. This was pushed by new projects in the US and the first shipments to new importer brands in Europe.

Seizing regional opportunities

Thai pet food exports have found strong demand across Asia. Last year, for instance, government officials advised manufacturers to focus on exporting cat food to Japan to profit from its rising cat ownership.

The country is the second-largest importer of pet food for dogs and cats so far in 2025, showing slight growth from the same period last year.

Malaysia, the Philippines, India and Taiwan are also among the top 10 pet food importers and Thailand is already the leading source of imports in Taiwan to address the country’s growing demand.

Tariff uncertainty

There’s a potential obstacle to Thailand’s momentum, however. Since 1 August this year, Thai goods face a reciprocal tariff rate of 19% in the US, which is by far the largest importer of Thai products across all pet categories. In fact, these products account for about a third of the value exported by the Asian country.

Although, after intense trade negotiations between the countries, the tariff is lower than the 36% originally announced in July, it may still affect Thai performance. The Bank of Thailand forecasts a prolonged impact on international trade.

“Exports would be impacted through 3 channels: direct impact on exports to the US market; indirect impact through the supply chain ultimately exported to the US market; and impact from slowing trading partners’ demand as the global economy slows down,” states the organization in its analysis.

To soften the blow, Thailand is tapping into other strategic markets. Together, the 28 countries of the European Union are one of the top 5 largest importers of Thai dog or cat food. From January to July 2025, the import value in the EU rose by 9% in comparison with the same period last year. Meanwhile, China has increased its import value by 43% and the Middle East by 38%.

By continuing to expand its exports across diverse trading partners, Thailand’s pet food sector can ensure it remains at the forefront of the country’s drive to competitiveness.