The Ministry of Commerce held discussions with the Thai Rice Exporters Association to monitor the rice trade situation, listen to various challenges, and pledged to work closely with the private sector to promote the Thai rice market. The Ministry reiterated its policy of accelerating rice exports to meet the target of 7 million tons.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, revealed after a meeting with the Thai Rice Exporters Association, led by Mr. Chukiart Opaswong, Honorary President of the Association, Mr. Chokchai Setthiwann, Vice President, and other representatives on June 19, 2026, at the Ministry of Commerce, to monitor the rice trade and market situation and discuss ways to boost Thai rice exports, that the Ministry of Commerce is ready to work closely with the private sector to achieve the target of exporting 7 million tons of Thai rice in 2026. Exports are a crucial mechanism for generating orders to support production and creating income for Thai rice farmers.
Ms. Supajee stated that despite the challenges posed by intense competition and global uncertainty in the global rice market this year, Thai rice continues to be recognized for its quality, production standards, and reliable delivery. She instructed the Department of International Trade and the Department of International Trade Promotion to expedite coordination with their global trade attaché networks to promote the sale of Thai rice in potential markets, and to proactively collaborate with the private sector to expand trade opportunities in key markets worldwide.
The Ministry of Commerce prioritizes expanding Thai rice exports to Africa and Latin America, where import demand is continuously increasing. This will be achieved by leveraging existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with trading partners such as Peru and Chile to enhance the competitiveness of Thai rice in these regions. Discussions will soon be held with the Peruvian minister to further utilize the FTAs more effectively, following previous discussions with ambassadors and chargés d’affaires from Latin American countries to jointly promote Thai rice exports.
Furthermore, relevant agencies have been instructed to expedite the monitoring and implementation of key issues to enhance the long-term competitiveness of Thai rice. This includes developing rice varieties that meet global market demands, expanding into new markets, managing risks from El Niño events that may affect future rice production, and coordinating with relevant agencies to improve measures to support farmers and ensure national rice production security.
Regarding the global rice market this year, although conflicts in the Middle East have slowed down Thai rice exports to Iraq, a key market in the region, since March, the impact of regional tensions and the prospect of drought due to the El Niño phenomenon have prompted many countries to accelerate rice imports to enhance food security. As a result, Thailand has been able to expand exports to other markets, particularly in Asia and Africa.
Mr. Chukiart Opaswong, Honorary President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, stated that the global rice market this year is volatile and rapidly changing. World rice prices have increased significantly from approximately US$320-340 per ton at the end of last year to around US$480 per ton currently. This is partly due to concerns about El Niño and food security, leading many countries to increase rice imports, particularly the Philippines and Malaysia, which have placed large orders.
Although Iraq, Thailand’s number one rice export market, has been affected by the regional conflict, causing delays in deliveries, it is believed that exports will return to normal once the situation stabilizes. Meanwhile, several countries have purchased Thai rice to compensate for global market demand. Combined with increased domestic demand for broken rice in the animal feed industry due to a shortage of corn, this has led to improved Thai rice prices.
Furthermore, in order to boost rice exports within the quota to the European market, it is proposed to negotiate a higher quota for whole rice exports, as the majority of whole rice exports, rather than broken rice, go to the European market. The Ministry of Commerce will raise this issue for discussion with the European side.
Ms. Arada Fuengthong, Director-General of the Department of International Trade, further revealed the proactive policy to boost Thai rice exports, stating that the department is accelerating its efforts in accordance with the government’s policy and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce to continuously promote markets and boost Thai rice exports in Asia, Europe, America, and Oceania. This aims to reduce reliance on any single market and stimulate orders to absorb Thai rice production, driven through collaborative mechanisms between the public and private sectors.
The Department of International Trade will expedite negotiations for a government-to-government (G to G) rice sale with COFCO of the Chinese government for another 460,000 tons. At the same time, it plans a proactive approach by leading delegations from the government and private sectors to meet with key rice importers to build confidence and expand Thai rice export markets. Most recently, they met with rice import agencies in the Republic of Korea from June 7-10, 2026, and plan to travel to the Philippines and Malaysia in early August 2026. Furthermore, they are preparing to bring small-scale Thai jasmine rice and refined rice producers to Guangzhou in July 2026 for business negotiations with Chinese importers.
Ms. Arada stated that the Department is confident that proactive measures coupled with close collaboration between the public and private sectors will help maintain the competitiveness of Thai rice and support the achievement of the target of 7 million tons of Thai rice exports in 2026.
During January–May 2026, Thailand exported 2.74 million tons of rice, a decrease of 10.75% compared to the same period of the previous year. However, Thailand was still able to expand rice exports to Africa and Asia, which are its two top rice export regions and show continued growth potential amidst challenging global market conditions. This reflects the global market’s confidence in the quality of Thai rice and Thailand’s potential as a major producer and exporter of high-quality rice worldwide
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