Thailand confident to regain rice exporter champion this year



BANGKOK: -- Thailand is confident to regain the world's largest exporter of rice this year after losing to India last year.
It sets export target at over nine million tonnes.

Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said in 2015 Thailand exported a total of 9.8 million tonnes of rice, down by 10.7 percent from the previous year.

The decrease in rice export last year was due to the global economic slowdown.

But he set export target this year at nine million tonnes, worth 4.3 billion dollars, some 800,000 tonnes less than the total rice shipment citing the global economic slowdown.

He said the drop in rice export last year made Thailand the second largest rice exporter in the world, losing the title of the world’s largest rice exported to India which exported 10.23 million tonnes.

But he believed that the Thai rice export has passed the lowest point and will now be on an upward trend.

This was because there is still high demand for rice in Asia as many countries have been affected by the Elnino phenomenon, he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the global rice yield is expected to amount 469.32 million tonnes this year, a drop of 1.9 percent from last year.

Charoen named several positive signs for Thailand’s rice export this year including the depreciation of Thai baht, competitive Thai rice price and support from the public sector.

The depreciation of Thai baht to 36 baht against the greenback will also help the rice shipment, he said.

The Commerce Ministry will also strive to expand the market for Thai rice while maintaining the market share, he added.

Thailand has also agreed to sell rice to China, Indonesia and the Philippines through government-to-government deals this year.

He expected Thailand to regain its title as the world’s largest rice exporter from India this year.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/148461


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-28

Thailand Keep Dreaming whit a strong Baht better to Buy in India vietnam China :-)

Maybe it could be importers are worried about the quality of Thai Rice.

regards Worgeordie

These farmers need to diversify into growing dill and pickles. There is no way any country would beat Thailand as the largest producer of pickled dills.

Edited January 28, 201610 yr by Reigntax

Meanwhile in nakhon-nayok...

So the export volumes are:

2014 10.8

2015 9.8

2016 (projected) 9.0

And the worst is over.

Down is the new up.

Why in 10 years Thailand could export 0.5 million tons and have 90% market share. A glorious achievement for Thai rice farmers.

Edited January 28, 201610 yr by phoenixdoglover

It is easy to be number two, when you are sell cheap rice that is 4 years old.

I thought that it was government policy now for farmers to grow less rice

2014 10.8

2015 9.8

2016 (projected) 9.0

Er, that's how it works in times of shrinking global demand: it doesn't take as much to rank on top.

Given the longer term prospects for rice production in India (see this for example), I wouldn't bet against Thailand regaining its long-time #1 spot this year or next. Why does that seem to annoy some people here so much?

If confidence was rocket fuel Thailand would be in orbit by now.

If confidence was rocket fuel Thailand would be in orbit by now.

Yes; and if brains were dynamite they wouldn't have enough to blow their hats off !

"But he believed that the Thai rice export has passed the lowest point and will now be on an upward trend....This was because there is still high demand for rice in Asia as many countries have been affected by the Elnino phenomenon"

So Thailand will change its strategy of a week ago to reduce rice exports to instead increase them and drive prices downward.

All for the sake of ego...ughhh!

To assure rice farmers make a sustainable profit, the government will continue and perhaps even increase its subsidies to keep the costs of production lower. And people criticized Yingluck's rice program for creating a false rice economy. Welcome to the club Prayut - it's only POLITICS.