“Rising demand for high-quality agricultural products in China has created more markets for Southeast Asian exporters, according to a report by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Benefiting from China’s growing appetite,  countries  in the region, including Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, are exporting more tropical fruits, while strong growth in Chinese demand has led to a surge in palm oil exports from Malaysia and Indonesia as well as rice exports from Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, the report by the IFPRI.

Fan, IFPRI Director-General, called for free trade to improve global food security and nutrition. “Open trade can contribute to food security and reduce natural resource use and environmental impact,” he said. “Trade restrictions will increase consumer prices and limit market access for producers, putting pressure on food security.”

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