Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand will host a national convention on rice in late May to promote rice exports and reinforce trade partnership with representatives from public and private sectors.
Thai media quoted the Minister of Commerce Chutima Bunyapraphasara as saying that the convention will be held from May 27-29 with the participation of 800 delegates, 300 of whom are key players from the world and 500 are farmers and entrepreneurs from across Thailand.
Themed “Rice Style: The New Global Lifestyle,” the event is a great platform to promote Thailand as the leading rice export country, while enhancing the added values of rice through innovation, she said.
Despite the global economic slowdown, the Thai government is maintaining its rice export forecast at 10 million tonnes this year.
Adul Chontinisakorn, General Director of the Thai Department of Foreign Trade, said that the Ministry of Commerce still strongly believes that potential buyers and importers are confident in the quality of Thai rice.
He said the country puts great emphasis on its premium quality and speciality rice such as fragrant hom mali, coloured varieties with special characteristics, and organic rice, all of which fetch higher export prices.
Thai rice, regarded among the world’s best, is exported to countries around the globe, taking up 20-25 percent of the global market and generating an average annual income of over 150 billion THB, he said.
In 2018, Thailand exported 11.09 million tonnes of rice, worth about 180 billion THB.
Charoen Laothamatas, President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the government must focus on policies and action plans to promote awareness amongst farmers of the importance of rice quality and market-driven production so that Thailand can maintain its competitiveness and leadership in the global rice market. –VNA