Thai rice exports may reach 8m tonnes despite flooding

THAILAND: Thailand’s rice exports could reach 8 million tonnes this year as flooding caused by Typhoon Noru has had little impact and a weak baht has helped overseas sales, the president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association said on Wednesday.

The world’s third largest rice exporter shipped 6.11 million tonnes of the grain last year. Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association told Reuters that floods resulting from the typhoon in late September and early October had caused some damage to crops, but had not impacted exports.

In September, India, the world’s largest exporter, banned overseas sales of broken rice and levied a 20% duty on exports on various rice grades.