Iran to buy 250,000 tonnes of Thai rice

BANGKOK, July 25 (TNA) - Iran has agreed to import 250,000 tonnes of Thai rice in a government-to-government (G-to-G) deal, under which the 100 per cent white Thai rice will be delivered within six months, starting from October 2013. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Ni-wat-tham-rong Bun-song-phai-san told reporters on Thursday that the deal was concluded during his trip to Iran last week. Niwatthamrong declined to reveal the price of the Thai rice, as Iran wants to keep it secret, but acknowledging that it is a market price, and that the classified information will benefit Thailand’s G-to-G rice deals with other countries in the future. According to the deputy prime minister, Iran will demand, at least, additional 750,000 tonnes of Thai rice, as Tehran is negotiating for the overall import of one million tonnes of Thai rice over the next two years, with a lot of 250,000 tonnes of Thai grains having already been agreed. The deputy premier said that he expects Iran should import at least 500,000 tonnes ot Thai rice next year, and that Tehran also expresses interest in importing other Thai products, including natural rubber and cassava. The Thai deputy premier noted that rice export negotiations have also been underway with many other countries, including China, Malaysia, Indonesia and those in the Middle East, and that he will later visit the countries to seal the G-to-G rice deals. (TNA)