Thailand to hold national rice convention in late May
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.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand will host a national convention on rice in late May to promote rice exports and reinforce tradepartnership with representatives from public and private sectors.
Thai media quoted the Minister of Commerce Chutima Bunyapraphasara as sayingthat the convention will be held from May 27-29 with the participation of 800delegates, 300 of whom are key players from the world and 500 are farmers andentrepreneurs from across Thailand.
Themed “RiceStyle: The New Global Lifestyle,” the event is a great platform to promoteThailand as the leading rice export country, while enhancing the added valuesof rice through innovation, she said.
Despite theglobal economic slowdown, the Thai government is maintaining its rice exportforecast at 10 million tonnes this year.
Adul Chontinisakorn, General Director of theThai Department of Foreign Trade, said that the Ministry of Commerce stillstrongly believes that potential buyers and importers are confident in thequality of Thai rice.
He said the country puts great emphasis on its premiumquality and speciality rice such as fragrant hom mali, coloured varieties withspecial characteristics, and organic rice, all of which fetch higher exportprices.
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 incomeof over 150 billion THB, he said.
In 2018, Thailandexported 11.09 million tonnes of rice, worth about 180 billion THB.
Charoen Laothamatas, President of the Thai RiceExporters Association, said the government must focus on policies and actionplans to promote awareness amongst farmers of the importance of rice qualityand market-driven production so that Thailand can maintain its competitivenessand leadership in the global rice market. –VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
