Thailand became the world”s biggest rice exporter during the first semester of the present year, as told by the National Exporters Association of Rice in Thailand.

The National Exporters Association said Thailand commercialized in the first semester of 2016 5 million tons of rice. This represented an increase of 12.1 percent compared to the same period of 2015.

Thailand excelled its main competitors: India, which exported 4.76 million tons; Vietnam, which exported 2.66 million, and Pakistan (2.44 million tons).

The president of the Association, Charoen Laothammathat, expressed his desire for the country to maintain this position at the end of this year, with a goal of 9.9 million tons of rice.

Nevertheless, he warned that the India might overcome the sales of Thailand for 2017, due to the over abundant supply and the decrease of the demand, because of the increase of the quotation of the baht (Thai national currency).

Source: Sin Chew Daily