Neighbouring members of ASEAN have become major markets for Thai rice exports, with shipments to the bloc surging 109% year-on-year during the first nine months of this year.
Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Foreign Trade, told the media this week that Thai rice exports to ASEAN reached 1.25 million tonnes during the January-September period, accounting for more than a quarter of Thailand’s total rice exports.
She noted that ASEAN's share of Thai rice exports jumped to 25.2% during the first three quarters of this year, from 9.7% in the same period last year, with combined exports to Malaysia and the Philippines alone exceeding 750,000 tonnes.
Arada acknowledged that Kuala Lumpur and Manila have thus become Bangkok’s fastest-growing import markets for Thai rice in the region, thanks to rising demand and food security measures.
She said that the significant increase in Thai rice shipments to the ASEAN bloc has also helped offset a slowdown in the country's rice exports to other global markets, particularly the Middle East.
According to the senior official, growing rice exports to ASEAN also reflect regional neighbours’ confidence in the quality and variety of Thai rice.
Along with other initiatives, the director-general said Thailand will continue to improve the quality of its rice and develop more varieties, taking productivity and cost-effectiveness into account to meet expanding market demand.
