25/06/2010
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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.
"More importantly, Vietnam's rice exports are mainly in the form of white rice, while Thai rice shipments have parboiled and glutinous rice combined.''
Vietnam last year exported 2.8 million tonnes to the region, mainly to the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, while Thailand's figure was only 640,000 tonnes out of 8.5 million globally.
Somkiat also warned that Thailand could no longer be complacent about quality, as the renowned aroma of Thai Hom Mali (Jasmine) rice was not considered as good as it was five years ago.
More worrying is the fact that Cambodia has adapted some Thai Hom Mali varieties and ships the paddy to Vietnam, capitalising on the free trade pact.
VNA/VOVNews
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