Friday, June 25, 2010

Thai rice market share down in ASEAN

06/25/2010
VNA/VOVNews

Thai rice exports to ASEAN are facing more challenges, as relatively higher prices and tariff cuts under the ASEAN Free Trade Area or AFTA make Thai rice less appealing to regional buyers.
Thailand has already lost its market leadership in ASEAN, as the grains from Vietnam and Cambodia now control up to 60 percent of the market, according to Director of the Thai Rice Exporters Association Somkiat Makcayathorn.
Thai rice makes up only 30 percent of the ASEAN market share, down from as much as 60 percent five years ago, as key buyers including Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines have turned to Vietnam.
Vietnam last year exported 6.5 million tonnes of milled rice, with the figure for the first five months of this year totalling 3.1 million, slightly lower than 3.3 million tonnes for Thailand, said Somkiat.

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