Thai rice export to fall this year

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) -- The Thai Rice Exporters Association predicts Thailand will export 9.5 million tons of rice this year, a smaller amount than the figure of last year, due to strong baht. Charoen Laothamatas, president of the association, said the export value was estimated at US$4.3 billion and demand for Thai rice continued from Iran, the Philippines, Indonesia and China (through a government-to-government contract) among other countries. Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the association, said baht was stronger than the currencies of other rice-exporting competitors and could result in expensive Thai rice in global markets. He asked the government to supervise the baht value. He also said that Thailand lacked some kinds of rice demanded by some particular countries including long-stocked rice that Africa favoured. Besides, many rice-importing countries were trying to produce rice locally and block rice from exporting countries, Mr Chookiat said. He assured that this year’s rice export would be lower than the all-time high export of 11.6 million tons last year. (TNA)