# Kiribati Export Playbook for Southeast Asia

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> Yugalinks regional export playbook

Compare buyer markets, access conditions, and calculated product opportunities in Southeast Asia. Use this guide to prioritize research, not to treat calculated indicators as guaranteed sales.

## Navigation

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- [Data sources](https://www.yugalinks.com/data-sources)
- [Methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology)

## Overview

- Exporter: Kiribati (KIR)
- Region: Southeast Asia
- Latest trade year: 2024
- Buyer markets: 8
- Calculated three-year opportunity: $3.2B
- Reported FTA markets: 0
- Average reported distance: 6,662 km
- Average business entry indicator: 12 days

## Market comparison

| Market | ISO3 | Opportunity | Products | FTA | Distance | Entry days | Top product |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| Thailand | THA | $1.6B | 16 | Not reported | 8,105 km | 6 | Plastics: other articles n.e.s. in chapter 39 |
| Viet Nam | VNM | $668.5M | 6 | Not reported | 7,607 km | 16 | Textile fabrics: impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with plastics, (excluding polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane and those of heading no. 5902) |
| Malaysia | MYS | $384.4M | 3 | Not reported | 7,947 km | 18 | Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified |
| Indonesia | IDN | $232.7M | 2 | Not reported | 7,425 km | 13 | Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified |
| Philippines | PHL | $181.9M | 6 | Not reported | 5,920 km | 33 | Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified |
| Singapore | SGP | $71.1M | 3 | Not reported | 7,711 km | 2 | Machinery: for filling, closing, sealing, capsuling or labelling bottles, cans, bags or other containers, machinery for aerating beverages |
| Myanmar | MMR | $20.7M | 2 | Not reported | 8,586 km | 7 | Machinery: parts of machines handling earth, minerals or ores and n.e.c. in heading no. 8431 |
| Timor-Leste | TLS | $11.1M | 7 | Not reported | 0 km | 0 | Furniture: metal, other than for office use |

## Product and market opportunities

| Rank | Market | Product | Opportunity | Buyer growth | Current share |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| 1 | Thailand (THA) | HS 392690 - Plastics: other articles n.e.s. in chapter 39 | $1.0B | +5.7% | +0.0% |
| 2 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 590390 - Textile fabrics: impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with plastics, (excluding polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane and those of heading no. 5902) | $471.7M | +10.0% | +0.0% |
| 3 | Malaysia (MYS) | HS 151311 - Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified | $220.7M | +11.1% | +0.2% |
| 4 | Malaysia (MYS) | HS 151319 - Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified | $162.3M | +18.3% | +1.5% |
| 5 | Thailand (THA) | HS 030359 - Fish: frozen, n.e.c. in item no. 0303.5, excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $160.8M | +8.7% | +0.0% |
| 6 | Indonesia (IDN) | HS 151311 - Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified | $138.6M | +6.9% | +0.0% |
| 7 | Thailand (THA) | HS 030343 - Fish: frozen, skipjack tuna (stripe-bellied bonito) (Katsuwonus pelamis), excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $131.8M | +5.2% | +6.3% |
| 8 | Thailand (THA) | HS 630790 - Textiles: made up articles (including dress patterns), n.e.c. in chapter 63, n.e.c. in heading no. 6307 | $108.8M | +9.2% | +0.0% |
| 9 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 030342 - Fish: yellowfin tunas (thunnus albacares), frozen (excluding fillets, livers, roes and other fish meat of heading no. 0304) | $108.7M | +46.1% | +0.0% |
| 10 | Indonesia (IDN) | HS 890120 - Tankers | $94.1M | +13.5% | +2.7% |
| 11 | Philippines (PHL) | HS 151311 - Vegetable oils: coconut (copra) oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified | $81.4M | +50.0% | +55.4% |
| 12 | Philippines (PHL) | HS 030343 - Fish: frozen, skipjack tuna (stripe-bellied bonito) (Katsuwonus pelamis), excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $47.1M | +8.0% | +1.6% |
| 13 | Viet Nam (VNM) | HS 621710 - Clothing accessories: other than those of heading no. 6212 (not knitted or crocheted) | $46.8M | +1.8% | +0.0% |
| 14 | Thailand (THA) | HS 820790 - Tools, interchangeable: (for machine or hand tools, whether or not power-operated), for screw-driving or uses n.e.s. in heading no. 8207 | $40.7M | +2.9% | +0.0% |
| 15 | Thailand (THA) | HS 030341 - Fish: albacore or longfinned tunas (thunnus alalunga), frozen (excluding fillets, livers, roes and other fish meat of heading no. 0304) | $33.1M | +3.9% | +0.0% |
| 16 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 842230 - Machinery: for filling, closing, sealing, capsuling or labelling bottles, cans, bags or other containers, machinery for aerating beverages | $30.9M | +3.2% | +0.0% |
| 17 | Thailand (THA) | HS 843143 - Boring or sinking machinery: parts of the machinery of item no. 8430.41 or 8430.41 | $30.8M | +2.3% | +0.0% |
| 18 | Philippines (PHL) | HS 030342 - Fish: yellowfin tunas (thunnus albacares), frozen (excluding fillets, livers, roes and other fish meat of heading no. 0304) | $30.2M | +9.2% | +0.1% |
| 19 | Singapore (SGP) | HS 901812 - Medical, surgical instruments and appliances: ultrasonic scanning apparatus | $27.4M | +8.2% | +0.0% |
| 20 | Thailand (THA) | HS 030342 - Fish: yellowfin tunas (thunnus albacares), frozen (excluding fillets, livers, roes and other fish meat of heading no. 0304) | $21.6M | +2.8% | +3.6% |

## Sector opportunities

| Sector | Products | Reported buyer imports | Opportunity | Average growth |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| HS2 39 - HS2 sector 39 | 1 | $1.6B | $1.0B | +5.7% |
| HS2 15 - HS2 sector 15 | 4 | $633.4M | $603.0M | +21.6% |
| HS2 03 - HS2 sector 03 | 12 | $1.9B | $567.8M | +13.9% |
| HS2 59 - HS2 sector 59 | 1 | $598.7M | $471.7M | +10.0% |
| HS2 63 - HS2 sector 63 | 1 | $125.5M | $108.8M | +9.2% |
| HS2 84 - HS2 sector 84 | 9 | $232.3M | $104.3M | +11.9% |
| HS2 89 - HS2 sector 89 | 1 | $265.3M | $94.1M | +13.5% |
| HS2 82 - HS2 sector 82 | 2 | $117.0M | $47.8M | +2.6% |

## Frequently asked questions

### Should Kiribati focus on Southeast Asia?

Use the market ranking as a starting point, then check product fit, buyer requirements, route costs, tariffs, standards, and competitive conditions.

### What does calculated opportunity mean?

It is a screening indicator built from demand and exporter-position signals. It is not a confirmed order, sales forecast, or guarantee of market entry.

### How should exporters use this page?

Prioritize one market and product combination, then validate buyers, compliance, logistics, pricing, and continuity before making a commercial decision.

## Method

Reported trade observations and calculated indicators are shown separately. Validate buyers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and competition before acting.

Yugalinks presents derived views for research and planning. [Read the full methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology).

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). [OECD Data Explorer](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/) - [OECD Terms & Conditions](https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/)
- CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601): [dataset page](https://www.cepii.fr/CEPII/en/bdd_modele/bdd_modele_item.asp?id=37) - [BACI documentation](https://www.cepii.fr/DATA_DOWNLOAD/baci/doc/baci_webpage.html) - [Etalab 2.0 Open Licence](https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/open-licence.pdf)

This page presents derived Yugalinks views of reported observations and calculated indicators.