Thailand could fall to world’s third largest rice exporter this year

[webfact]

Thailand could fall to world’s third largest rice exporter this year

 

 

Thailand could drop to the world’s third largest rice exporter, after Vietnam and India, due to a prolonged drought, which has affected rice output, and the strength of the baht currency.

 

Pol Lt Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, disclosed today (Wednesday) that, for the first half of this year, Thailand exported 3.14 million tonnes of rice, worth about US$2.2 billion, or 66 billion baht. This represents a 30% drop in export volume and a 13% drop in export value, compared to the same period last year.

 

He attributed the decline to two factors. First, there has been a prolonged drought, which has caused first crop output to fall by about one million tonnes and second crop output to fall short by about four million tonnes. Secondly, the strong baht currency, which is about ten percent higher than last year, is causing the international prices of Thai rice to be an average of US$50 higher than those of its two main competitors.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-could-fall-to-worlds-third-largest-rice-exporter-this-year/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-07-23

 

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[Grumpy John]

Yet the rice price has been set and the subsidies put in place ready to go!

 

[yellowboat]

Condos are more fun to build than reservoirs.  

[Stargeezr]

High Baht  bad,  get a clue Thai government and rich people, give the Thai

farmers a break, would you?

Geezer

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand could drop to the world’s third largest rice exporter, after Vietnam and India, due to a prolonged drought, which has affected rice output, and the strength of the baht currency.

Nice work PM.... ok I admit his rain dance didn't work and was beyond even his powers, but the rest is down to inefficiency.

[JungleBiker]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

Condos are more fun to build than reservoirs.  

 

The government is building condos? 

 

[Bender Rodriguez]

drought, worst drought, save water, this & that

 

but still need to plant rice 2 / 3 times a year

[Aspaltso]

Devastating news for rice farmers especially in the northeast. It's been awful the last few years, and many are at their ends financially.

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

This represents a 30% drop in export volume and a 13% drop in export value, compared to the same period last year.

Can someone clever explain why 30% drop in export volume is only 13% drop in export value please - even if the baht went up 10% on the 70% they did ship it could not only drop 13% without a huge price hike on top of that baht gain - thereby making themselves even more uncompetitive in future years. They may be pricing themselves out of the business by adding 10%+ price gain on top of baht rise.

[Misterwhisper]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Pol Lt Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association

Why the heck is a high-ranking POLICE officer serving as president of a RICE EXPORTERS association... and not as president or chairman of a POLICE-related organization, for example?

 

And does his involvement with an organization promoting an agricultural cop interfere with his duties as a police officer? 

[holy cow cm]

3 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

Why the heck is a high-ranking POLICE officer serving as president of a RICE EXPORTERS association... and not as president or chairman of a POLICE-related organization, for example?

 

And does his involvement with an organization promoting an agricultural cop interfere with his duties as a police officer? 

It is so sad to always see this farce being pushed on the public. Either military or police are always in on being CEO's, Presidents, Directors or sitting on Boards. Sticky fingers. 

[yellowboat]

8 hours ago, JungleBiker said:

 

The government is building condos? 

 

No, they contract big company types like the ones that like killing and eating endangered animals.   But, they don't do that.  They prefer seeing pretty, empty condos dot Bangkok.  Who wants to help a bunch of farmers?  Not this government obviously.   Thailand has had drought many times over during junta rule.  Lots of talk, but no action.  Perhaps if some of the girls from BK48 said something the junta would take it seriously.   

[3NUMBAS]

many rice farmers cant pay the rent for their land to grow anything so theyre laying fallow..theyre skint