Thailand expanding rice markets overseas

BANGKOK, May 16 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce is promoting Thai rice and expanding Thai rice markets overseas, focused on the Japanese market for the time being. As more Thais and foreigners have been visiting Japan, thanks to Tokyo's visa waiver policy implemented for about six months, Surasak Riengkrua, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, under the Thai Ministry of Commerce, told journalists on Friday that his department plans to export more Thai rice to Japan this year. Surasak noted that up to about 262,200 tonnes of Thai rice were exported to Japan last year, earning the Thai Kingdom 139 million US dollars, and that, during the first four months of this year, more than 100,000 tonnes of Thai rice had been exported to the Japanese market, worth approximately 50 million US dollars. Surasak said he is optimistic that Thailand should be able to export over 300,000 tonnes of rice totally to Japan this year. Surasak revealed a Thai delegation, led by his department's officials, are attending a Thai food fair, held at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo from May 15-19, to also promote several strains of Thai grains, especially the premium fragrant rice, or "Hom Mali" rice, aimed at allowing consumers in Japan to be more familiar with the Thai rice. During the five-day fair, the senior official acknowledged, his department's officials are also discussing with several Japanese government agencies to explore ways to strengthen bilateral trade relations between Tokyo and Bangkok. According to the senior official, his department also plans to organise several roadshows in the Middle East and Africa from this month onward, aimed at selling more Thai rice to countries in the two regions. (TNA)