Thailand remains world’s NO.1 rice exporter

BANGKOK, May 22 (TNA) - Thailand's exports of rice reached 2.7 million tons during the first four months of this year, retaining the Kingdom's position as the world’s number one rice exporter. Thai Permanent Secretary for Commerce Yanyong Puangraj confirmed the country's long-time status on Monday, amid criticism that the government’s rice price-pledging scheme might have weakened the nation's position on the world market, as an allegedly-extraordinary high-guaranteed rice price was set at 15,000 baht per ton threatening domestic economic stability. Yanyong said that in terms of pricing, exported Thai rice this year has stood at 669 million US dollars per ton so far, compared with 566 US dollars per ton last year; while in terms of quantity, Thailand’s total rice export was record at 10.6 million tons last year, worth nearly 6.4 billion US dollars, and is expected to reach 8.5-9 million tons at the end of this year as officially targeted. Yanyong revealed that his ministry, in cooperation with local rice mills and distributors, will organize the 3rd Thai Rice Festival 2012 in Nakhon Sawan, a major rice producing province in the Lower Thai North, this coming weekend, during which over 100 strains of Thai rice and new agricultural technologies are on display and buyers from rice importing countries will have opportunities to seek deals with Thai producers. According to the senior official, the festival will reflect Thailand’s prestige status as the world’s number one rice exporter over the past 30 years and as a global hub for rice trading and quality development. (TNA)