Charoen predicted that Thailand’s total rice export volume this year would reach 5.7 million tonnes, lower than the target of 6 million tonnes.— AFP file photo
BANGKOK (July 5): Thailand has exported 2.2 million tonnes of rice with a value of US$1.38 billion in the first six months of this year, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) quoted The Nation newspaper.
It represented a reduction of 21.03 per cent in volume and 28.14 in value compared with the same period last year,
Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA) President, Charoen Laothamatas predicted that Thailand’s total rice export volume this year would reach 5.7 million tonnes, lower than the target of 6 million tonnes.
The TREA president said Thai rice prices are higher than many of its competitors and that affects sales. He attributed it to the baht’s appreciation and drought.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has collaborated with TREA to promote the export of the country’s main types of rice, aiming for a 4.8 per cent growth in jasmine rice exports to high-end markets; 5.2 per cent growth in fragrant rice sales; a 4.7 per cent increase in white rice exports to general markets and 4.9 per cent expansion of parboiled rice.
The exports of sticky rice, brown rice and milled rice to specialised markets will be expanded by 3.6 per cent, 12.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent, respectively.
The ministry would work to expand the government-to-government (G2G) rice trading markets. Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit said that the Department of Foreign Trade had negotiated to export an additional 20,000 tonnes of white rice exports to China under the contract to buy 1 million tons of G2G rice.
The department also plans to negotiate the G2G sale of rice under the MoUs that Thailand had signed with Bangladesh and Indonesia.
Last year, Thailand shipped 5.7 million tonnes abroad. – Bernama