Rice exports from Thailand next year could fall as much as 30 percent from 2011 to 7.0 million-7.5 million tonnes, as export prices have been pushed up by a government intervention scheme and floods, a senior industry official said on Thursday.
Higher export prices, as well as India's recent return to the market to sell, would cut Thailand's annual rice shipment this year to 10 million tonnes from 12 million tonnes in earlier projections, said Korbsook Iamsuri, President of Thai Rice Exporters Association. Exports in 2010 were 9 million tonnes.
She said the forecast for 2012 could be lower than a USDA projection for next year, which sees a 20 percent decrease to 8 million tonnes. India, which suspended exports in late 2007, authorised the export of 2 million tonnes of non-basmati rice in September. The government of Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, is paying farmers 15,000 baht ($483) a tonne for unmilled rice from October 7 to the end of February, which covers the harvest of the main crop.