According to rice exporters, Thailand needs new rice varieties to compete

According to the head of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the country’s inclination to set rice prices unnecessarily high relative to its quality is the reason for the decline in the quantity of rice exported from Thailand. Charoen recently proposed establishing a “Rice Board” to enhance and develop new rice breeds. To meet customer demand, according to the president Charoen Laothamatas, new breeds must be developed. He asserted that the board members may develop regulations that are beneficial to all parties. During his four decades in the rice industry, he argued that Thailand had not developed any new rice kinds.


Numerous innovative breeds have been discovered or produced by colleges and universities, but according to the speaker, they have not received the necessary development and support to be used for mass production and export. According to Charoen, the Thai government should give high priority to the development of a rice board. Among the organizations he wants on the board are the Thai Rice Exporters Association, the Thai Rice Packers Association, the Thai Rice Mill Association, and the Thai Seed Trade Association. It will take at least three years to establish a new kind of rice, he said. According to rice exporters, for Thailand to compete on the worldwide rice market, new rice types are required.