Thailand to export more rice to Philippines

MANILA, June 21 (TNA) - Thailand has eyed to export more rice to the Philippines and is exploring opportunities to ship more grains to the ASEAN neighbour during the ongoing official visit to the country by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, scheduled for June 20-21. As Thailand and the Philippines have had no agreement on government-to-government (G-to-G) rice trade, Surapong told TNA from Manila on Friday that he discussed with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III earlier in the day on a plan to export more Thai rice to the Philippines' private sector. Surapong pointed out that the Philippines, with its growing population of over 100 million now, should be a promising export market for Thai rice, as the price of globally-renowned Thai fragrant rice, or Hom Mali rice, is about 45 baht per kilogram currently, some 15 baht per kilogram cheaper than that shipped from other countries and sold in the Philippines. As Manila has given the green light to resume imports of Thai poultry, Surapong said he expressed his hope that the Thai food product will be soon shipped to the Philippine market again. According to the Thai deputy prime minister, he also congratulated the Philippine President for his victory in the latest general election and conveyed to him Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's best wishes and congratulations on his electoral victory and the Philippines' highest economic growth rate in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last year. Besides, the Thai deputy premier expressed his hope for expanding bilateral cooperation between Bangkok and Manila, steadily, and asked the Philippine government to take care of growing Thai investors in the Philippines. (TNA)