Thailand's exports of rice increase 6% in first nine months of this year

Bangkok (September 22, 2003) - Exports of Thai rice in the first nine months of this year increased about 6%, thanks to rising demand for Thai fragrant or Hom Mali rice in the world market, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Pornpinit Pornprapha, Secretary-General of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, told TNA that exports of Thai rice from 1 January to 15 September, 2003 totaled 4.919 million tonnes, an increase of about 286,944.5 tonnes, or 6.19%, from the same period of last year.

During the period, the country's exports of Hom Mali rice alone reached 1.488 million tonnes, 96.61% increase from the same period of last year, he stated.

Major overseas markets for Thai rice included Indonesia, the Philippines, Iran, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Singapore, and the United States, he disclosed.

Pornpinit said that the increased demand for Thai rice helped boost the prices of Thai rice in the world market, particularly Hom Mali rice, with the F.O.B. prices of the first-classed and second-classed Hom Mali rice this month appeared to be 52.70% and 54.16% higher than those of September 2002 respectively.

The prices of the first-classed 100% and the second-classed 100% white rice this month, on the other hand, rose 10.36% and 2.5% from those in September last year, according to Pornpinit.

Source : TNA