Thai rice exports expand in July

BANGKOK, September 3 (TNA) - The amount of Thai rice exports obviously rose in July 2013, compared with a month earlier, thanks to increasing rice shipments to Iraq, Iran, Benin, South Africa and Yemen. The Thai Rice Exporters Association reported the development on Tuesday, saying that Thailand exported 330,000 tonnes of white rice and 150,000 tonnes of parboiled rice in July. Besides, Thailand's exports of Hom Mali or fragrant rice to main markets have been expanding, including those to the United States, Hong Kong, Ghana and Ivory Coast. According to the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the country's rice exports should also benefit from the ongoing depreciation of the Thai baht. The association said the United States, Ivory Coast and Hong Kong should remain major import markets for Thai Hom Mali or fragrant rice, while major import markets for Thai white rice should include Iraq, Iran and Japan and for Thai parboiled rice should include Benin, South Africa and Yemen. The Thai Rice Exporters Association, however, acknowledged that Thai rice exports have declined over the first seven months of this year, amounting to 3.61 million tonnes, worth 75.35 billion baht, a drop by 5.1 per cent year-on-year by volume and by 5.6 per cent year-on-year by value. Five countries with the highest orders of Thai rice during the January-July 2013 included Iraq, Benin, the United States, Japan and Ivory Coast. (TNA)