<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-22</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000049600</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EASTGROUP PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EGP</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192899</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ALOIAN D PIKE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ROTHSCHILD REALTY INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1251 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10020</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>EastGroup Properties Inc. Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>900</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.22</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>77700</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Note</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>EastGroup Properties Inc. Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>19800</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.2067</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>57900</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Note</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">$.0001 par value per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;)</footnote><footnote id="F2">Does not include 1,250,000 shares of Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock owned indirectly and options to purchase 14,250 shares of common stock owned directly each of which have been previously disclosed and in relation to which there are no transactions to be reported.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The Reporting Person has been appointed, among others, as a manager of Five Arrows, by Rothschild Realty Investors IIA L.L.C., the same managing member of Five Arrows.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>James E. Quigley 3rd as Attorney-in-Fact for D. Pike Aloian</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

