India Set To Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam As Top Rice Exporter

[webfact]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

By Pratik Parija and Prabhudatta Mishra

BANGKOK: -- India, the largest rice grower after China, is set to surpass Thailand to match Vietnam as the world’s biggest shipper after favorable weather and higher government prices boosted the harvest to a record.

Exports may climb to 7 million metric tons in the year ending Aug. 31, said Samarendu Mohanty, a senior economist at the International Rice Research Institute. That’s more than double the 2.8 million tons shipped in 2010-2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Vietnam will export 7 million tons and Thailand 6.5 million tons, USDA data show.

Rice, the staple for half the world, has slumped 17 percent since reaching the highest price since 2008 in September after India ended a three-year ban on exports of non-basmati varieties. Prices will probably stay under pressure in coming months as global production outpaces demand for an eighth year. That may extend a decline in global food costs, which fell for the first time this year in April, United Nations data show. Thailand was the top shipper last year with 10.6 million tons. [more...]

Full story: http://www.bloomberg...e-exporter.html

-- Bloomberg 2012-05-09

[billd766]

What can anyone say after that.

Price yourself out of the market and then wonder why nobody buys your rice.

[harryfrompattaya]

What can anyone say after that.

Price yourself out of the market and then wonder why nobody buys your rice.

Yes it is a mater of time for China to be number one and export 15 million tons.

[OzMick]

Will we soon see a day when Thai farmers are paid NOT to grow rice? Could it be cheaper for the taxpayer to import rice instead of paying all the graft and corruption in the present system, and then they wouldn't have the problem of storing all the soon-to-be rotten, overpriced crop they are currently stuck with.

[TomTao]

The Thai governments policy regarding the rice pledging scheme and the decision to raise the price of Thai rice has guarenteed that Thailand's usual international buyers will look for other suppliers, the end result of the government's poplularist policies will be a gradual decline in the Thai economy through a drop in GDP caused by falling sales of Thai rice at the same time as spending and inflation increase.

[Payboy]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

[ratcatcher]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

They do have a very good Basmati rice, which I believe commands premium prices.

[TomTao]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

[Payboy]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

[Moruya]

Will we soon see a day when Thai farmers are paid NOT to grow rice? Could it be cheaper for the taxpayer to import rice instead of paying all the graft and corruption in the present system, and then they wouldn't have the problem of storing all the soon-to-be rotten, overpriced crop they are currently stuck with.

No in a nutshell.

The people who make money storing the rice are far too influential.

[TomTao]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

As far I am aware the only way a crop such as rice or wheat can be patented is if it is genetically modified so that it is different from the original naturally occuring variety. But I'm sure Thai farmers like to think they are the only ones who can grow jasmine rice.

[Moruya]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I believe there is a Thai variant of Jasmine rice - Hom Mali (means smells of Jasmine) followed by some classification.

Not sure if you can patent a plant unless you can prove that you created it. Imagine filing the patent for gluai hom and charging producers for the use.

[Payboy]

I believe there is a Thai variant of Jasmine rice - Hom Mali (means smells of Jasmine) followed by some classification.

Not sure if you can patent a plant unless you can prove that you created it. Imagine filing the patent for gluai hom and charging producers for the use.

I remember reading some years ago that Thailand was contesting a patent application filed in the US for a variant of Jasmine rice.

[Thai at Heart]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I think they have the right to call it "Hom Mali" not an exclusive right on Jasmine rice.

[Payboy]

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I think they have the right to call it "Hom Mali" not an exclusive right on Jasmine rice.

Just found this article from the Nation...Jasmine rice is finally our national treasure....here

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/06/26/opinion/opinion_30106078.php

[Thai at Heart]

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I think they have the right to call it "Hom Mali" not an exclusive right on Jasmine rice.

Just found this article from the Nation...Jasmine rice is finally our national treasure....here

http://www.nationmul...on_30106078.php

Just read it too.

Here is a history of it

http://thaifoodandtr...jasmine-rice-1/

I think this gives them the right to call it Thai Jasmine Rice, or Thai Hom Mali.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[TomTao]

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I think they have the right to call it "Hom Mali" not an exclusive right on Jasmine rice.

Just found this article from the Nation...Jasmine rice is finally our national treasure....here

http://www.nationmul...on_30106078.php

From looking at the article it appears Thai jasmine rice has been patented to Thailand, it also looks as though it is also grown in ten other countries, I would guess that any country wishing to grow Thai jasmine rice would first ask permission from Thailand and possibly pay royalties to Thailand, however I could not see the total royalty payments coming into Thailand coming anywhere near the amount that is going to be lost through direct sale of Thai jasmine rice to other countries, and the amount in royalties paid by any country that wanted to grow Thai jasmine rice would be minimal compared to any profit that country would earn from the cultivation and sale both domestically and internationally.

[Thai at Heart]

Just Google Vietnamese Jasmine Rice.

http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/vietnam-jasmine-rice.html

1989 suppliers

[TomTao]

Either way you look at it, if this government does not change its policies and practices, Thailand could be if serious financial difficulties sooner rather than later, mega spending projects and increasing wages with decreasing income from foreign rice buyers.

[phiphidon]

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

As far I am aware the only way a crop such as rice or wheat can be patented is if it is genetically modified so that it is different from the original naturally occuring variety. But I'm sure Thai farmers like to think they are the only ones who can grow jasmine rice.

Just out of interest

Thailand has been fighting to protect its jasmine rice from biopiracy. It has contested claims by US-based companies seeking to use the name ".Jasmati". in a trademark violation called ".passing off".. Jasmine rice is claimed by Thailand as a special Thai product and the Thais have sought to exercise their rights over this product invoking the IPR protection called ".Geographically Indicated [GI] Rights"., in the World Trade Organisation. Provided in Articles 22, 23 and 24 of the TRIPs chapter, GI protection can be claimed by countries for products that are exclusively associated with their region. At present, GI protection is available only for wines like Champagne and spirits like Scotch whiskey. Developing countries are, however, fighting hard to increase the scope of GI protection so that products of interest to them can also be given GI IPR protection and be considered exclusively theirs. India, for example, has an interest in Basmati rice and Darjeeling tea, to name just two products. Thailand has claimed jasmine rice as its own.

http://www.nwrage.or...ine-rice-unwise

"Jasmati" Rice - the best of both, only in America . On a more serious note the article does question the production of GM rice but as it was written in 2008 perhaps it's all been sorted now .

Edited May 9, 2012 by phiphidon

[bigbamboo]

India Set to Pass Thailand, Rival Vietnam as Top Rice Exporter

But do they have Jasmine rice?

I remember seeing a quote in one of the news feeds a few months back that said that the Indian government has now given the rice growers of India permission to grow rice other than the traditional basmati variety, as I remember the permission included jasmine rice, Thailand is facing increasing competition at the same time the Thai goverment is pricing Thai rice out of the market. Do you think its deliberate? I really couldn't see any rational government do this on purpose.

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I believe there is an American company that markets 'Jazzman' rice, presumably on the basis that most American customers aren't too discerning when it comes to buying fragrant rice.

[MEL1]

I thought Thailand had a patent on Jasmine rice.

I think they have the right to call it "Hom Mali" not an exclusive right on Jasmine rice.

Just found this article from the Nation...Jasmine rice is finally our national treasure....here

http://www.nationmul...on_30106078.php

From looking at the article it appears Thai jasmine rice has been patented to Thailand, it also looks as though it is also grown in ten other countries, I would guess that any country wishing to grow Thai jasmine rice would first ask permission from Thailand and possibly pay royalties to Thailand, however I could not see the total royalty payments coming into Thailand coming anywhere near the amount that is going to be lost through direct sale of Thai jasmine rice to other countries, and the amount in royalties paid by any country that wanted to grow Thai jasmine rice would be minimal compared to any profit that country would earn from the cultivation and sale both domestically and internationally.

Would this be same type of patent or copyright applying to foreign films and gaming rights?

Thailand might just learn a lesson from the seriousness of copyright and patent abuse over this malarky.... for once? I doubt it!

Shame, really, because Thai Jasmine is the best rice. However, and as previously stated, if infringements of copyrights and patents are not taken seriously in all areas of Thai copying..... then, alas, Thailand also loses the rice-rights it may or may not carry.

-mel.

[Johpa]

What can anyone say after that.

Price yourself out of the market and then wonder why nobody buys your rice.

Gee, I thought it was the invisible masturbating hand of the market that set the price for bulk rice on the international stage. What Thai farmers receive is below that price and is set by the consortium of families that monopolizes exports, the modern day Cao Chiwits. All these government programs are but more smoke being blown in an upward direction.

[rametindallas]

I believe there is a Thai variant of Jasmine rice - Hom Mali (means smells of Jasmine) followed by some classification.

Not sure if you can patent a plant unless you can prove that you created it. Imagine filing the patent for gluai hom and charging producers for the use.

I remember reading some years ago that Thailand was contesting a patent application filed in the US for a variant of Jasmine rice.

You are correct. Basmati Rice can only be grown in India, Feta cheese, Champagne, Jasmine Rice, are considered trademarked and must come from certain regions or countries. One can sell copys but cannot use the name. At Louisiana State U. in the US they have developed a rice they call JazzMan Rice. New York and California used to sell Champagne but now call their product 'Sparkling Wines'. BTW, Vietnam sells a very close cousin to Jasmine rice that is competetively priced.