The Department of International Trade reveals that Malaysia imported the most Thai rice in the first half of 2026, exceeding 320,000 tons. They are confident that the total for the year will break a 20-year record of 700,000 tons, emphasizing Thailand’s strengths in quality and timely delivery. Ms. Arada Fuengthong, Director-General of the Department of...
When discussing the “big brother” of ASEAN, one cannot ignore the People’s Republic of China, the world’s second-largest economy and a major global hub for production, trade, and investment. This makes it a significant player in the economies of Thailand and ASEAN. With over 1.4 billion people, it is a massive consumer market and the...
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...
The “crisis within a crisis” stemming from the Middle East conflict, coupled with energy shortages, geopolitical issues, and global trade pressures, is putting multifaceted stress on the Thai economy. In particular, transportation costs, the cost of living, and agricultural exports face significant volatility. This has forced the government to urgently adopt a proactive economic strategy,...
The Ministry of Commerce has kicked off the shipment of the first 40,000 tons of Thai rice to China under a government-to-government (G to G) purchase agreement. The initiative emphasizes quality control at every stage to build confidence in the Chinese market and helps absorb the second rice harvest, thereby stabilizing Thai rice prices. Ms....
The global rice market in 2026 faces a challenging outlook, fraught with numerous obstacles stemming from geopolitical issues and volatile climate conditions caused by global warming. These factors impact agricultural production, particularly rice, a key agricultural commodity for Thailand. The global rice market in 2026 is projected to experience increased competition, both in terms of...
Thai rice exports in the first 11 months reached 7.29 million tons. The full-year target is expected to exceed 7.88 million tons, with a possibility of reaching 8 million tons. However, the target for 2026 is only 7 million tons due to high competition, India releasing its stock, slowing imports from trading partners, and the...
The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) is to hold discussions with Cofco Corporation, a Chinese state-owned company involved in the production and importation of agricultural products, over the shipment of 500,000 tonnes of Thai rice. Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the DFT, said China agreed to purchase 500,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand, which includes 280,000...
The Ministry of Commerce will propose to the National Rice Policy and Management Committee (NRPMC) additional measures to stabilize the price of paddy rice for the 2025/26 harvest season. The plan involves three state agencies — the Public Warehouse Organization (PWO), the Marketing Organization for Farmers (MOF), and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives...
Mr. Natthakit Khongthip, Director-General of the Rice Department, chaired the 2025 Rice Variety Certification Committee meeting. The meeting included Dr. Chitsanucha Buddhaboon, Deputy Director-General; Mr. Krisdin Kamtan, Deputy Director-General; representatives from the Department of Internal Trade, Department of Foreign Trade, the Thai Rice Exporters Association, Thai Rice Millers Association, Thai Rice Traders Association, the National...
