NEWSPAPER SECTION: Business WRITER: Phusadee Arunmas

The Commerce Ministry is gearing up to host the Thailand Rice Convention during the last week of this month, aiming to promote Thai rice exports and exceed 2 billion baht in orders.

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan directed the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) to execute marketing initiatives, increase rice exports, and monitor developments in the global rice market.

The event is scheduled for May 25-27 at The Ritz-Carlton in Bangkok, welcoming significant rice buyers and importers from various countries, as well as new importers from South America, Africa and the Middle East, alongside Thai farmers.

The event serves as a networking opportunity, allowing participants to share insights into the current conditions and future prospects of global rice production and trade, said Mr Pichai.

He said the convention should enable Thai public and private rice exporters to connect with importers from Thailand’s trading partners, potentially leading to deals.

The convention is projected to generate orders of at least 100,000 tonnes of rice, resulting in more than 2 billion baht in revenue, according to the ministry.

Mr Pichai said exports are essential to sustain demand for Thai rice products, benefiting the industry and providing income for farmers.

He urged the DFT to monitor the global rice market amid geopolitical tensions in various regions, positioning Thailand as a reliable food source for its trading partners.

Mr Pichai said the Affordable Fertiliser Programme 2025 has received positive feedback from farmers across the nation.

Since its launch, the scheme has received orders for more than 1 million sacks, helping farmers save in excess of 30 million baht.

This initiative offers quality fertiliser at discounts of up to 50 baht per sack, with more than 79 different formulas available and a total of 10.1 million sacks on offer from 26 suppliers nationwide.

Farmers can purchase these discounted fertilisers until Sept 30.

Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the DFT, said the department plans to take 16 small rice traders from major rice-producing provinces to participate in Thaifex-Anuga Asia 2025 from May 27-31, in a bid to expand their distribution channels.

The event is expected to generate more than 500 million baht in rice orders.

The department also plans to negotiate rice sales with key importers, including the Philippines and Japan.

Published Date: May 16, 2025