Commerce Minister, Sontirat Sontijirawong is confident that rice exports to Hong Kong will keep on growing after topping 200,000 tonnes in 2017. According to a report by the DITP’s overseas trade office in Hong Kong, Thailand exported 206,153 tonnes of hom mali rice to Hong Kong in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 10.18%, and the first time in 10 years that exports exceeded 200,000 tonnes.
“Consumers in Hong Kong love Thai hom mali rice because of its good quality and fragrance. We will also increase exports of Thai brown rice to this market,” Sontirat Sontijirawong said on February 6. “With strong demand, we target rice exports of 215,000 tonnes in 2018.”
In 2017, receipts from Thailand’s hom mali rice exports amounted to nearly US$1.34 billion (42 billion baht), with the US (28%), China (15%), Hong Kong (11%), Iran (6%) and Canada (5%) ranking as the five largest markets.