The Ministry of Commerce has urged Thai enterprises to export sticky rice to China to meet its rising demand in both food production and industry.
“Currently, China imports sticky rice from other countries for making food products such as sticky rice dumplings and sticky rice balls with ginger tea, as well as using it as a raw material for making alcohol and paint,” DITP Director-General Chantira Jimreivat Vivatrat said on March 21.
In 2017, Thailand exported US$143.7 million (4,454 million baht) of sticky rice to global markets, an 8% growth compared to the previous year. Key markets included China (1,683 million baht), the US (603 million baht), Malaysia (325 million baht), Laos (201 million baht, and Vietnam (185 million baht).