The Commerce Ministry is promoting
government-to-government (G2G) sales of rice to Indonesia, while pledging to
move ahead with plans to negotiate a similar sale with China. Late last year at
the Japan-Asean Summit, Indonesia expressed its intent to purchase 1 million
tonnes of rice from Thailand via a G2G deal. The first lot of 55,000 tonnes has
been sold to Indonesia, with delivery expected within this month.
The ministry said it is working on a deal for the
second lot. Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the ministry is
awaiting the outcome of an extended G2G rice delivery period for an additional 280,000
tonnes under a contract with China.
Mr Phumtham said the ministry is also working on
G2G deals with other countries, but declined to reveal the details to prevent
price undercutting by competitors. Last year, Thailand exported 8.76 million tonnes
of rice, the highest level in five years. The value of these exports amounted
to 178 billion baht, marking a 28% increase.
Thai hom
mali fragrant rice maintained a healthy export volume despite a higher price
than competitors, with shipments of 1.32 million tonnes in 2023, up 5.6% from
the previous year, he said. "Thailand's key rice export markets include
the United States, China, Canada and Hong Kong," Mr Phumtham said.
"Though our prices may be higher than those of competitors, our rice
quality is also second to none, especially Thai hom mali rice, which is known
globally for its tender texture and unique natural fragrance."
In related
news, he presided over the 41st edition of the National Hom Mali Rice
Competition 2023 hosted by the Internal Trade Department on Wednesday.
The department holds the competition to raise
awareness of Thailand's signature rice products, grown by more than 4.7 million
farmers. The awards help to identify and conserve top-quality Thai jasmine rice,
promoting cultivation standards and creating a model for sustainable
agriculture, said Mr Phumtham. Many consumers prefer high-quality Thai jasmine
rice, he said.
The competition also serves as a platform for
buyers to sign purchase contracts with farmers, according to the department.
