Rice Price Weekly Bangkok Thailand 8 23 2017

THIS REPORT CONTAINS ASSESSMENTS OF COMMODITY AND TRADE ISSUES MADE BY
USDA STAFF AND NOT NECESSARILY STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT
POLICY

Required Report - public distribution
Date: 8/23/2017
GAIN Report Number: TH7110

Thailand
Rice Price - Weekly

Weekly Rice Price Update

Approved By:
Paul Welcher, Agricultural Attaché
Prepared By:
Ponnarong Prasertsri, Agricultural Specialist

Report Highlights:
Export prices for most grades of rice further declined 1-2 percent, except for fragrant rice prices which
increased significantly. The government is expected to issue a new tender for 0.6 million metric tons of

deteriorated rice by the end of August. Additionally, the government is proceeding with the sale of rice
stocks after the sale’s suspension was overturned by the Supreme Administrative Court.

Post:
Bangkok
Market Tone

Export prices for white rice further declined 1-2 percent from the previous week due mainly to the sale
of government stocks. The government is proceeding with the sale of 2.6 million metric tons of rice
stocks to the selected tender buyers after the August 11 Supreme Administrative Court decision
overturned the Administrative Court’s ruling that had suspended the planned rice stock sales. The sale
will consist of (1) 0.5 million metric tons of deteriorated rice stocks from the April 28, 2017 tender and
(2) 2.1 million metric tons of feed-quality rice stocks from the June 15, 2017 tender. Additionally, the
government announced that it will issue a new tender for the remaining 0.6 million metric tons of
deteriorated rice by the end of August 2017. The details of this tender have yet to be finalized. If the
0.6 million metric tons of rice stocks are purchased, government stocks are expected to decline to 0.1 0.2 million metric tons.
However, export prices for fragrant rice increased significantly from the previous week due to tighter
seasonal domestic supplies. Although the flash flooding in July and early August reportedly has had a
minimal impact on fragrant rice production, rice millers expect that most supplies of new-crop fragrant
rice will not enter the market until December 2017. Furthermore, the government has sold food-quality

fragrant rice stocks. Additionally, farmers participating in the MY2016/17 On-Farm Pledging Program
have reportedly already redeemed almost all of their rice as the market prices are well above the loan
rate.
Rice Export Update
Unofficial and preliminary rice exports (excluding premium white and fragrant rice) for August 7-13,
2017, totaled 152,720 metric tons, up 5,088 metric tons from the previous week, and up 10,360 metric
tons from the four-week moving average of 142,360 metric tons (Table 2). Rice exports from January 1
– August 13, 2017, totaled 5,343,923 metric tons.