Successful negotiation for expansion of jasmine rice market in China

A negotiation for an expansion of Hom Mali or fragrant rice and rice product market in China has been successful more than expected, according to Thailand's Foreign Trade Department.

Apiradi Tantraporn, the department’s director-general, said she had recently assigned her deputy Vijak Visetnoi to take a team of trade representatives to Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern Fujian province of China, for the negotiation to expand the fragrant rice and rice product market there.

During the trip, many activities had been conducted to promote consumption and distribution of Thai jasmine rice in Wal-Mart Department Store.

In addition, an exhibition of the fragrant rice was organised in the city where rice ambassadors and media members paid much attention to the rice and its products such as rice oil and noodles. It led to a signing of six contracts with Chinese importers.

In the first five months of this year, Thailand’s rice exports totaled 3.3 million tonnes. Of this, 1.19 million tonnes are jasmine rice.

The rice exports to China totaled 174,894 tonnes. Of this, 118,059 tonnes are jasmine rice.