Thai rice exporter predicts another declining year for Thailand

By English News

BANGKOK, Jan 30 – The future of Thai rice exports remains dim this year while last year’s export volume at 6.94 million tonnes was 35 per cent lower than the preceding year, a leading rice exporter said today.

Predicting a further decline in Thailand’s rice exports to 6.5 million tonnes this year, Kobsuk Iamsuree, chairwoman of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Thai exporters have encountered diverse challenges including tough competition in the global market, higher prices for Thai rice and the global economic slowdown.

Vietnam, the prominent exporter in the global market, has been aggressive and dumped its prices to compete with India while demands among major buyers like China, Indonesia and the Philippines have declined, she said.

Vietnam has taken Thailand’s rice markets while many countries have turned to a self-reliant policy, she said, adding that the fluctuating and appreciating Thai currency has also negatively impacted Thai rice exports.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted this year’s global rice trade at 37.37 million tonnes, a reduction by 4.35 per cent compared to last year, and forecast that Thailand will be the world’s top exporter with an export volume of eight million tonnes, to be followed by India (7.5 million tonnes), Vietnam (7.4 million tonnes), Pakistan (3.8 million tonnes) and the US (3.45 million tonnes).

This year’s top importer will be Nigeria at 2.7 million tonnes, followed by China (2 million tonnes), Iran (1.6 million tonnes), the Philippines (1.5 million tonnes) and Indonesia (1.45 million tonnes).

Ms Kobsuk said the Thai government must urgently sell stockpiled rice on a government-to-government basis – a factor that may push up the export volume of Thai rice to eight million tonnes as predicted by the USDA.

She said the fact that 15 million tonnes of rice is in Thai stock will compel the country to release it as soon as possible but prices will not be high. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-01-30

BANGKOK, Jan 30 – The future of Thai rice exports remains dim this year while last year’s export volume at 6.94 million tonnes was 35 per cent lower than the preceding year, a leading rice exporter said today.

Predicting a further decline in Thailand’s rice exports to 6.5 million tonnes this year, Kobsuk Iamsuree, chairwoman of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Thai exporters have encountered diverse challenges including tough competition in the global market, higher prices for Thai rice and the global economic slowdown.

And I predict it will rain after June the 1st. Is this rocket science?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted this year’s global rice trade at 37.37 million tonnes, a reduction by 4.35 per cent compared to last year, and forecast that Thailand will be the world’s top exporter with an export volume of eight million tonnes

Not sure what the USDA is smoking, I definitely think they missed it big time this year. I cannot see this Govt dumping all this rice at a huge loss and even a bigger loss of Face. Unless of course they are lying and there is in fact no available space to stock more.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted this year’s global rice trade at 37.37 million tonnes, a reduction by 4.35 per cent compared to last year, and forecast that Thailand will be the world’s top exporter with an export volume of eight million tonnes

Not sure what the USDA is smoking, I definitely think they missed it big time this year. I cannot see this Govt dumping all this rice at a huge loss and even a bigger loss of Face. Unless of course they are lying and there is in fact no available space to stock more.

The person who predicted this in the USAD must be a Thai guy/girl who immigrated to the US and is on K Thaksin's payroll.

I predict the national debt will also increase between 6.5% and 9.5% of GDP

I predict that many Thai's will be conceived within 10kms of a Honda Wave

Slowly but surely the Thaitanic charts course to meet its destiny with the riceberg.

I predict that many Thai's will be conceived within 10kms of a Honda Wave

Unlike many Brits who were conceived on the back seat of a Ford Cortina.

Meanwhile the BP is enthusiastically reporting that the government is expecting record high sales of 8 to 8.5 million tons due to the g to g deals. Both articles are quoting the exact same sources, just reversing the emphasis!

Could it be that Thaksin thought that be withholding Thai rice from the market that it would push up world prices?

Another honest mistake?

Slowly but surely the Thaitanic charts course to meet its destiny with the riceberg.

Slowly but surely the Thaitanic charts course to meet its destiny with the riceberg.

Riceberg.....love it

Was it just a day or two ago in the largest major English paper they were saying it would be a banner year and Thailand would regain their title as largest exporter of rice ?

What !!!! another rice article. I think we should just wait and see now. Thaksin will not be sitting on a rotting rice mountain. Flesh has been pressed and deals are done. Some doubters on here will see the light soon enough

I predict that many Thai's will be conceived within 10kms of a Honda Wave

Unlike many Brits who were conceived on the back seat of a Ford Cortina.

What's a Cortina? American model?