Thai move to reclaim rice crown in Hong Kong

[webfact]

Thai move to reclaim rice crown in Hong Kong
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND is moving aggressively to reclaim its dominant share of the Hong Kong fragrant-rice market, after buyers there agreed to boost their orders.

After leading a recent meeting of exporters and Hong Kong rice suppliers and importers, Surasak Riangkrul, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said last week that the government has launched a campaign in Hong Kong, traditionally a major customer of Thai rice, especially fragrant rice, to retake its Thai jasmine rice market back from Vietnam.

Under the plan, the department has designed a project to entice Hong Kong rice consumers into tasting Thai rice. The department has also cooperated with local modern traders such as Aeon to sell Thai rice and set up pavilions at supermarkets providing cooking demonstrations for Thai jasmine rice.

"The department will continue |to boost consumption of Thai rice |by reaching out to end consumers, and will try to support hotels and restaurants that have a huge stock of Thai rice to serve at their restaurants.

Since 2008, when Thailand monopolised 91 per cent of the Hong Kong market for imported fragrant rice, its share has plummeted to about 40 per cent due to high prices.

"Thai Hom Mali rice should regain its piece of the pie soon thanks to close cooperation among the Thai government, Thai exporters and Hong Kong rice traders," he said.

The government will closely work with the private sector to promote rice exports to Hong Kong and other markets, including Singapore.

Marketing campaign

Thailand needs to carry out a marketing campaign emphasising the high quality of its rice to maximise export value. The government will next year focus on persuading Thai rice exporters to concentrate on promoting Hom Mali rice via many channels, mainly to restaurants, the modern trade and directly to Hong Kong consumers.

Thailand is losing its share of the fragrant-rice market to Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Witt Maneenetr, the trade attache at the Thai Trade Office in Hong Kong, said Thailand's share of the jasmine-rice market in Hong Kong is expected to increase to 60 per cent this year from about 50 per cent last year.

Thai jasmine rice is quoted at US$1,020 a tonne, against $950 a tonne for Cambodian fragrant rice and $700 for Vietnamese rice of lower quality.

Some local traders in Hong Kong have tried to reduce costs by diluting Thai jasmine rice with lower quality rice. They fill cheap packages with the mixed rice and claim it as Thai rice. The problem has given a bad reputation to Thai rice.

To restore Thai rice's image, the Thai Trade Office will propose to the Commerce Ministry to sign an agreement with Hong Kong customs to prevent combinations of Thai and other rice and infringements of intellectual property rights.

To reassure consumers of the superb quality of Thai rice, the Hong Kong office will also cooperate with local supermarkets to put up signs on their shelves identifying Thai rice that is guaranteed.

The Thai government will cer-|tify Thai rice so that consumers |will not be lured into purchasing mixed-pack rice, which sell at cheaper prices but are of inferior quality, he added.


-- The Nation 2014-05-26

[Thailand]

"After leading a recent meeting of exporters and Hong Kong rice suppliers and importers, Surasak Riangkrul, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said last week that the government has launched a campaign in Hong Kong"

?

[smedly]

nice to see the government of Thailand is still very active through it's various departments - who actually needs a lower house

[noitom]

They're trying to create value where it doesn't exist.

[stickyrice2000]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Edited May 26, 2014 by stickyrice2000

[Canada]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Wrong. Even I know good rice from bad.

[jaltsc]

"THAILAND is moving aggressively to reclaim its dominant share of the Hong Kong fragrant-rice market..."

It appears that Thailand once again is acting a bit late. Years ago, other agrarian based economies in this area realized they could replace the low quality rice they were growing and produce a higher quality rice to compete with Thailand, and sell the product at a lower price. When Thailand had a virtual monopoly on high quality rice, they could charge inflated prices. Now that there are comparable products on the market, Thailand cannot compete in a supply & demand/free economy marketplace. Don't bother closing the barn door. The cows left a long time ago.

[UbonRatch]

"the government has launched a campaign in Hong Kong, traditionally a major customer of Thai rice, especially fragrant rice, to retake its Thai jasmine rice market back from Vietnam."

Traditionally, maybe, and I'm sure HK is really interested. I'm sure Vietnam is coming with all arms open, regarding the latter statement. Asif, is also an Indian name, which means 'there is no government anymore'.

[tim armstrong]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Maybe you smoke too much or maybe your taste buds are a bit challenged. There are about 200 different varieties of rice in the world. Different types of rice have different purposes - as you will know. But Thai jasmine rice is considered in the industry to be ONE of the best. That's why it sells for more money. A bit like wine - the water its grown in makes a difference. Not only does jasmine fragrant rice taste and smell better than other fragrant rice but it cooks more easily. Incidentally of the non fragrant varieties Japanese consumers prefer Australian rice much to the dislike of their own farmers. Personally I'm into Indian Basmati rice - maybe its all the dust and cow shit that gives it the taste.

[UbonRatch]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

That's why it sells for more money. A bit like wine - the water its grown in makes a difference.

I never knew wine was grown in water. Whoa! We learn something new here everyday at TV.

YEAH, OK, scarcasm is the lowest form of wit. But, if you have English humour... it can be quite amusing: especially Scouse humour!

Wine and water goes with Jesus boots.

[UbonRatch]

They're trying to create value where it doesn't exist.

Same as most of your PTP supporting posts.

[Estrada]

Unfortunately "Thai Indica" the company behind the rice scheme exports has been exporting rotten rice. According to the Japanese Customs report they received tonnes of "Mouldy and foul smelling rice" in April and has been rejected as unfit for consumption.

[stickyrice2000]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Maybe you smoke too much or maybe your taste buds are a bit challenged. There are about 200 different varieties of rice in the world. Different types of rice have different purposes - as you will know. But Thai jasmine rice is considered in the industry to be ONE of the best. That's why it sells for more money. A bit like wine - the water its grown in makes a difference. Not only does jasmine fragrant rice taste and smell better than other fragrant rice but it cooks more easily. Incidentally of the non fragrant varieties Japanese consumers prefer Australian rice much to the dislike of their own farmers. Personally I'm into Indian Basmati rice - maybe its all the dust and cow shit that gives it the taste.

I stop buying Thai jasmine rice because they have maggots in the bag. I am fine with Vietnamese jasmine rice, and it tastes just delicious. Thank you.

[Robby nz]

Since 2008, when Thailand monopolised 91 per cent of the Hong Kong market for imported fragrant rice, its share has plummeted to about 40 per cent due to high prices

They are talking about new seasons rice here not old stored stuff.

Could it also be that a market share has been lost because Thai rice has been withheld from the market by the pledging scheme ?

Thai jasmine rice is quoted at US$1,020 a tonne, against $950 a tonne for Cambodian fragrant rice and $700 for Vietnamese rice of lower quality.

Would not be true to say that Cambodian rice is lower quality as it has this year won the best rice in the world, for the second year running.

Once again we see a Govt department doing things for the country now they have been released from the handbrake of incompetent and greedy politicians.

[ChrisY1]

If the price is right......shouldn't be a problem to gain the market......$300+ for 1st grade Hom Mali.......that'll do it!

[bangrak]

First things first! Shouldn't 'Thailand', meaning all authorities, working together, first do ALL they possibly can to recuperate those Billions of Baht of stolen rice money 'transferred' to Hong-Kong by PT politicians and their lackeys? Even after years, it remains 'special' to me, how Thais, and their media, have an utterly short memory about all illegal stuff happening in the Kingdom, today in the papers, tomorrown forgotten? And what is the RTP doing about it? Well, everybody has the answer on that one...

[brufi]

If the price is right......shouldn't be a problem to gain the market......$300+ for 1st grade Hom Mali.......that'll do it!

Seems you have no clue about production cost. Good quality Homes Mali is grown rainfed of, one crop per year. A reasonable price for paddy is 15kThb, that price doubles from milling (yield is about half), then comes packaging, transportation, warehousing and the whole thing needs to be financed too.

Rainfed rice means no unknown substances coming down river, no antibiotics from shrimp ponds, no pesticides, fungicides or industrial waste.

In Isaan Hom Mali is grown almost completely without pesticides or fungicides.

If you can not taste the difference I potty you as your palate must have been deteriorated to an extend that they can give you a lot less pleasure than normal.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[brufi]

Pitty, not potty.

Last paragraph was towards the person that can not taste a difference...

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[dogleg]

pity not pitty.

[chotthee]

Thank our army and its visonary thinking.

Thailand will return to be #1.

[Thai at Heart]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Wrong. Even I know good rice from bad.

You can tell good quality hom Mali from bad.?

U should be a buyer.

[Skywalker69]

nice to see the government of Thailand is still very active through it's various departments - who actually needs a lower house

who actually needs a lower house

Lower as in underground bunker?

[ableguy]

this is all a load of bulls:::::::t probably a scam but the results and cost will be a government secret, oops sorry I forgot they have gone.

[ableguy]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

Maybe you smoke too much or maybe your taste buds are a bit challenged. There are about 200 different varieties of rice in the world. Different types of rice have different purposes - as you will know. But Thai jasmine rice is considered in the industry to be ONE of the best. That's why it sells for more money. A bit like wine - the water its grown in makes a difference. Not only does jasmine fragrant rice taste and smell better than other fragrant rice but it cooks more easily. Incidentally of the non fragrant varieties Japanese consumers prefer Australian rice much to the dislike of their own farmers. Personally I'm into Indian Basmati rice - maybe its all the dust and cow shit that gives it the taste.

I stop buying Thai jasmine rice because they have maggots in the bag. I am fine with Vietnamese jasmine rice, and it tastes just delicious. Thank you.

I go for basmati too or usa long grain.mjj

[tim armstrong]

They all taste the same to me. I bet you that the customers could not even distinguish between the three types of rice. All they care about is it satisfies their hunger.

That's why it sells for more money. A bit like wine - the water its grown in makes a difference.

I never knew wine was grown in water. Whoa! We learn something new here everyday at TV.

YEAH, OK, scarcasm is the lowest form of wit. But, if you have English humour... it can be quite amusing: especially Scouse humour!

Wine and water goes with Jesus boots.

Actually it is also grown on dry land - but not in Thailand

[mania]

http://www.riceauthority.com/prices/