Thailand’s rice exports hit six-year high last year

Thailand exported 9.95 million tonnes of rice in 2024, increasing 13% from previous year

Thailand exported 9.95 million tonnes of rice in 2024, increasing 13% from the previous year, and the highest number in six years, the Commerce Ministry reported on Tuesday.

The value of exported rice last year also rose 27% year on year to 225.65 billion baht, said Arada Fuangtong, director general of the Department of Foreign Trade.



White rice is responsible for 60% of the total export or 5.99 million tonnes, followed by jasmine rice at 1.74 million tonnes, steamed rice at 1.27 million tonnes, fragrant rice at 0.63 million tonnes, sticky rice at 0.3 million tonnes and brown rice at 0.02 million tonnes.

Arada said Thailand’s five biggest export markets are Indonesia, which imported 1.33 million tonnes of rice, followed by Iraq (1 million tonnes), the United States (0.85 million tonnes), South Africa (0.83 million tonnes), and the Philippines (0.62 million tonnes).

She added that rice exports in 2024 exceeded the department’s target of 9 million tonnes thanks to increasing demand from almost all regions, especially Africa, which ordered 34% more rice from Thailand than the previous year.

The department estimated that rice exports in 2025 will contract from last year because of India’s lifting of export restrictions, which had been implemented to increase domestic stocks.

Indonesia, meanwhile, is expected to reduce its rice imports this year because of a projected increase in domestic output amid already high stocks.

The department and the Thai Rice Exporters Association estimated that total rice exports in 2025 will be around 7.5 million tonnes.

Arada added that the department will continue to promote rice exporters that are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in line with the government’s policy on boosting rice exports and eliminating monopolies.

She said the department has been inviting SME exporters to participate in domestic and overseas trade fairs planned for this year, including Biofach in Germany, the Natural Products Expo West in the United States, and THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2025 in Bangkok. It is estimated that these fairs could help generate sales for Thai rice of up to 600 million baht.

(2025/01/28-00:00)