BANGKOK, July 24 (TNA) – The Thai Rice Exporters Association predicts that Thailand will export 9 million tons of rice this year amid drought and strong baht.
Charoen Laothamatas, president of the association, said that in the first half of this year Thailand exported 4.36 million tons of rice, down by 19.6% year-on-year. However, the amount was the world’s second biggest after Indian rice exports.
Throughout this year Thailand would export 9 million tons of rice worth US$4.7 billion or 145 billion baht, Mr Charoen said.
Regarding major rice exporters, Mr Charoen said, in the first half of 2019 India exported 5.95 million tons of rice, Vietnam 3.27 million tons, Pakistan 2.16 million tons, the United States 1.59 million tons and China 1.47 million tons.
He warned that drought would affect Thai rice growers and exporters unless it rains within early next month. Prolonged water shortages would reduce local rice yields and raise rice prices, he said.
Apart from drought, strong baht also affected rice exports, Mr Charoen said.
In the second half of this year, the price of Thai rice would be higher as baht was 5% stronger. Meanwhile, Indian currency was 0.7% weaker, Pakistan money depreciated by 15% and Vietnamese money was stable, Mr Charoen said. (TNA)
