Vietnam attends rice conferences in Thailand

Vietnam together with world-leading rice trading nations are attending the World Rice Standard Summit 2011 in Nakhon Sawan province, Thailand, on June 22.

Earlier, Vietnam also had a chance to seek international trade partners at the Thailand National Rice Conference in Bangkok on June 20.

The two events are aimed at boosting rice production and assessing demand and supply across the world, Thai Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai told a press briefing on June 20.

Nguyen Thanh Hung, Commercial Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand , who represented Vietnam at the events, said Vietnam’s rice exports increased by about 20 per cent in the first five months of this year and are expected to reach 7 million tonnes in the whole year.

Meanwhile, Thailand is forecast to reach its target of exporting 10 million tonnes of rice in 2011, reaping some 170 billion baht (roughly $5.6 billion), as compared with $5.34 billion the country earned from shipping abroad 9.05 million tonnes of rice last year, he said.

According to the commercial counsellor, Vietnam and Thailand have carried out a wide range of activities to boost rice cooperation such as organising exchanges for the two countries’ farmers, producers and exporters to share experience as well as information regarding the cultivation, production and export of rice in the region and the world as well.

The Thai Commerce Ministry and the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade have also planned to organise the Vietnam-Thailand commercial summit, he said. – VIR

Tags: World Rice Standard Summit 2011