Thai rice exporters have urged the government to increase the varieties of jasmine rice grades in order to increase export opportunities.
The move comes following the sluggishness of jasmine rice exports in the past year due to the global economic meltdown.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, yesterday said the government should increase the varieties of jasmine after exports dropped in the past year.
The Foreign Trade Department allows the export only of premium-grade jasmine rice, which is 92-per-cent jasmine rice combined with 8 per cent of other rice grains.
Chookiat said the government should add two more grades: 80-per-cent and 70-per-cent jasmine rice.
He said many markets prefer Thai jasmine rice. However, the high selling price, at more than US$1,000 (Bt32,300) a tonne, has obstructed the growth of exports. Allowing the additional grades would increase export opportunities, especially to new markets.
Normally, the export volume of Thai jasmine rice averages 300,000 tonnes a month. However, exports dropped to 200,000 tonnes in the past two months this year.
In addition, to maintain rice quality in the government's stockpiles, the Commerce Ministry is considering allowing exporters to exchange new rice grains with the government's stocks.
Rice has deteriorated in quality each year. During the suspended selling of the government's stockpiles, the measure would help ensure a good quality of rice.
The proposal will be submitted to the next meeting of the National Rice Policy Committee.
Meanwhile, the Internal Trade Department is scheduled to conduct a public hearing today to get input from all those involved in ways to enforce the Trade Competition Act more effectively.
Chutima Bunyapraphasara, director-general of the department, said the draft revision of the law should be finalised soon so that the ministry can submit it for Cabinet approval and then Parliament's ratification in July.
The revision aims at increasing the competitiveness of Thai businesses in the lead-up to the liberalisation of regional enterprises under the Asean Economic Community.
The Trade Competition Act of 1999 contains provisions that are supposed to protect consumers and promote fair practices among traders.
In developing the draft revision, the department cooperated with the Asean secretariat, the Asean Experts Group on Competition, and Capacity Building International of Germany, which will organise the International Symposium on the Trade Competition Act during April 7-8 at the InterContinental Hotel, Bangkok.
