It represented a reduction of 21.03 percent in volume and 28.14 in value compared with the same period last year,

President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA) 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.

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(Photo for illustration)

The TREA president said Thai rice prices are higher than many of its competitors and that affects sale. 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 percent growth in jasmine rice exports to high-end markets; 5.2 percent growth in fragrant rice sales; a 4.7 percent increase in white rice exports to general markets and 4.9 percent expansion of parboiled rice. The exports of sticky rice, brown rice and milled rice to specialised markets will be expanded by 3.6 percent, 12.5 percent and 12.5 percent, 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.

Source: VNA