NONTHABURI, June 10 – Thailand is expected to export 9-9.5 million tonnes of rice this year, with the quantity possibly reaching 10 million tonnes at more than Bt170 billion in value.
Thailand’s Permanent Secretary for Commerce Yanyong Puangrat said that the Ministry of Commerce is certain that Thailand is the world’s top rice exporter and will retain its position, as Thai rice is globally known to be of good quality and standardised.
From January to May, the country has exported over 5.7 million tonnes of rice to markets worldwide, worth over Bt88 billion.
The high cost of production, high fuel prices, and the fluctuation of currency exchange rates have caused Thai rice exporters to face problems, Mr Yanyong said.
However, public and private sector cooperation to penetrate new markets and unusual weather in several rice exporting countries obstructing their exports enhanced the demand for Thai rice overseas.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce is planning to boost the brand recognition of Thai rice in existing markets and enter more markets in other countries, and is holding a “Thailand Rice Convention” and “World Rice Standard Summit 2011” from June 20-23 so as to make Thailand the world’s leading rice exporter.
Trading partners–over 500 persons from more than 50 countries worldwide–will join the event in Bangkok. Participants will be brought to rice farms and mills in the central province of Nakhon Sawan to learn the local way of life of Thai farmers as well as how the popular Hom Mali fragrant rice is produced and milled. (MCOT online news)
