25 November 2021
Mrs. Mallika Boonmeetrakul Mahasuk, Advisor to the Minister of Commerce revealed that Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, followed up on the rice market situation in the Asia. Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) reported that Mr. Jurin ordered the Department to accelerate the implementation of the project plans and activities to promote rice exports for the year 2022. This is to comply with the Thai Rice Strategy 2020-2024, based upon the principles “Market Driven” by relying on a network of commercial ambassadors as salesmen of the country positioning in various regions worldwide to achieve the target of 6 million tonnes of Thai rice exports within 2021.
Ms Mallika stated that some Thai rice export markets were successfully expanded. This was noticeable from the significant growth rate; for example, Japan, China, Malaysia, Philippines market. For the promotional activities of Thai rice market abroad, the Ministry of Commerce will engage in all marketing channels, both offline and online by joining with department stores, supermarkets, and leading online platforms that are popular in each country. This also encompassed promotion of Thai restaurants with Thai SELECT logo to take Thai rice for a raw material and to promote Thai rice among local consumers. To expand opportunities for Thai rice exports to grow sustainably. The country salesman team has begun to prepare various projects; for example, the country salesman team in Japan organizes activities to promote Thai lunch box menus using jasmine rice available in various office cafeterias including supermarkets in both the major city, and the secondary city. The promotional campaign of Thai food menu also consisted of riceberry rice in restaurants in a 5-star hotel to create a premium image of Thai rice, including participation in the Foodex 2022 trade show by demonstrating of healthy Thai menus using jasmine rice and riceberry rice, etc.
“The Deputy Prime Minister Jurin gave additional useful advice to Thai rice exporters that expansion of the Thai rice export market must be considered in accordance with trends in each market as well. For example, the Chinese market should focus on more premium rice among health-concerned consumers; elderly; children with a promotion of processed rice for children; people with congenital disease with a promotion of low sugar rice. Emphasis should be stress on publicizing the benefits of Thai rice. In addition, in all regions of China, Thai rice promotion activities must be intensively engaged in various channels either offline or online through KOL, live broadcasting with KOL, encouraging Thai restaurants to use Thai rice, etc. The Japanese market focuses on functional food rice such as organic rice, riceberry rice. Accounting for the trend of health lovers and a fully aged society, microwavable ready-to-eat rice packs are also very popular for the hustle and bustle of society and working at home settings. The Malaysian market focuses on niche markets such as Sangyod Rice under the strategy of deepening and widening business relations focusing on expanding the market in broad dimensions, including expansion of customer and consumers base, and in-depth by establishing good relationship among major importers. Hong Kong and Singapore markets focus on jasmine rice in the new season or New Crop. Due to the upcoming New Year and Chinese New Year holidays, rice is perceived as an auspicious product that Chinese people like to give as souvenirs during festivals, etc.,” said the adviser to the Minister of Commerce.