Thailand

MANITTAH, Thailand, January 21st (Reporter Li Yingmin, Liu Yubo) - On January 21st, the Director-General of the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, Arada, stated that in 2025, Thailand's rice export volume reached 7.9 million tons, exceeding the original annual target of 7.5 million tons, and the total export value was 148.204 billion Thai baht (approximately 33 billion yuan).

She introduced that white rice is the main category of Thailand's rice exports, with an export volume of 3.62 million tons, accounting for 45.82% of the total export volume, and a year-on-year decrease of 39.87%. Other major export categories include Thai jasmine rice with an export volume of 1.76 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 0.57%; steamed rice with an export volume of 1.51 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 18.90%; fragrant rice with an export volume of 590,000 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 6.35%; glutinous rice with an export volume of 330,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 10%; and brown rice with an export volume of 90,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 200%.

From the perspective of export markets, in 2025, Thailand's five major export markets for rice were: Iraq with 1 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 0.41%; South Africa with 880,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.11%; the United States with 820,000 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 3.60%; China with 650,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 48.95%; and Senegal with 290,000 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 41.10%.

Arada stated that in 2026, the international market situation remains severe, and the global rice price competition may continue to be intense. It is expected that Thailand's rice export volume in 2026 will be approximately 7 million tons.

She also pointed out that the Ministry of Commerce's Foreign Trade Department will continue to promote the inter-governmental rice trade agreements with China and Singapore, and actively expand the rice markets in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.