Thailand surpassed by India in rice 2015 exports

Bangkok, 27 January 2016 (NNT) - Thailand was surpassed by India as a rice exporter in 2015 but traders have projected 9 million tons will be sold this year if the global economic downturn and drought crisis can be overcome.

Thai Rice Exporters Association Chairman, Pol Lt Charoen Laodhammatas, disclosed that Thailand exported 9.8 million tons of rice in 2015, or 150 trillion baht worth, down 10.8 percent year-on-year. He attributed the downturn to the global economy’s contraction, especially among countries with high rice demand, noting that the falling price of oil also impacted the buying power of such countries.

Thailand ended 2015 behind India for rice exports with the South Asian country selling 10.23 million tons of rice. Vietnam was third globally while China remained the number one importer of rice.

The association expects Thailand will sell 9 million tons of rice this year, or 144 trillion baht worth. While the figure is close to last year’s, the US farming department has projected the Kingdom will return to its status as the world’s number one exporter.

Factors that could impact the sector are the continuing drought situation, which is weighing down production, as well as the global economy, which is depressing buying power.


-- NNT 2016-01-27

The projection for 2016 is predicated on some big "ifs".

Not a good time to be a rice farmer.

The association expects Thailand will sell 9 million tons of rice this year, or 144 trillion baht worth.

If only

The association expects Thailand will sell 9 million tons of rice this year, or 144 trillion baht worth.

If only

A million, billion, trillion, zillion, it's all the same to these guys. Just fresh plucked numbers.

if the global economic downturn and drought crisis can be overcome

Now I wonder how much of that 9.8 m tonnes is from the last two seasons and what from previous years.

Still 13 to 14m in stock I think.

Now I wonder how much of that 9.8 m tonnes is from the last two seasons and what from previous years.

Still 13 to 14m in stock I think.

Rubi, you think too much for your age. Let it go. Corruption, subsidies, populist policies etc never went away.

...and no plastic in sight so far.....

Would very much like to ask the burning question

What % of this grandiose figure actually gets back to the farmer?

It's gone awfully quiet

Now I wonder how much of that 9.8 m tonnes is from the last two seasons and what from previous years.

Still 13 to 14m in stock I think.

Rubi, you think too much for your age. Let it go. Corruption, subsidies, populist policies etc never went away.

My question had nothing to do with corruption. I'm just wondering how much of the export of rice in a year consists of the current year's crop normally.

Thailand will sell 9 million tons of rice this year, down from 10 million last year.

The reduction for 2016 may be the results of a new plan by the government to cut total rice production to 25 million tons of the normal output of between 31-32 tons to correspond with the areas affected by the drought and anticipated consumption demand. (2016-01-08)

The reasoning may be that with lower supply and higher demand, rice prices will increase. But obviously India and Vietnam are not playing that game. And in fact neither is Thailand who just negotiated a surprise announcement of an unplanned sale of 999,000 tons (not to be confused with 1 million) of rice to Iran.

They need a new calculator i think. 9,000,000 tons at say 15,000 baht a ton = 135,000,000,000 baht. In world mathematics that would be 135 billion baht. But whats a factor of 1000 between friends? Or maybe a thai trillion is different?

Always found maths not a strong point in Thailand.....

Thailand will sell 9 million tons of rice this year, down from 10 million last year.

The reduction for 2016 may be the results of a new plan by the government to cut total rice production to 25 million tons of the normal output of between 31-32 tons to correspond with the areas affected by the drought and anticipated consumption demand. (2016-01-08)

The reasoning may be that with lower supply and higher demand, rice prices will increase. But obviously India and Vietnam are not playing that game. And in fact neither is Thailand who just negotiated a surprise announcement of an unplanned sale of 999,000 tons (not to be confused with 1 million) of rice to Iran.

The reasoning may be "to correspond with the areas affected by the drought and anticipated consumption demand" or more clear

the reasoning for a suggested decrease of production of rice is mainly in the drought which is having a toll on Thailand and the need to preserve water for human consumption as well.

No need to get into games.

BTW the 'normal' output did increase since 2011 as the then government supported quantity and games.