Stories tagged with rice
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Samak holds rice stockpiles
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, has said that he opposes the release of the country’s two-million-plus tonnes of rice reserves into the domestic market to curb the apparent rice shortage.
Mr Samak insisted there would not actually be a rice shortage, during his weekly TV and radio address, and blamed the media for causing panic about a rice shortage.
Many people have subsequently hoarded rice as a result of press reports and the near doubling of rice prices. It has thus been suggested that the government should release the rice stockpile to aid low-income families and the unemployed.
Thailand currently produces about 30 million tonnes of rice per year, which is equivalent to 20 million tonnes of milled rice. Nine million tonnes go to the domestic market, with a similar amount exported and the remaining two million tonnes held back by the government as a safety line.
Mr Samak explained that his opposition to releasing the stockpiled rice at cost to the domestic market was because rice farmers would gain nothing and that rice price mechanisms would be drastically affected.
Although food in Thailand to the foreign tourist is significantly cheaper than their home countries, there has been a marked increase in the kilogramme rate of rice and together with spiraling oil prices, food off the street has increased by a fair amount and will no doubt affect those travelers on a budget.
Eating in Thailand
Posted by: Andrew on 07 Apr 2008, 13:14 -
Thai Rice for Iraq
The Iraq government has purchased between 100,000 and 150,000 tonnes of Thai rice scheduled for shipment in July/August shipment, according to the Bangkok Post.
Posted by: Toony on 09 Jul 2007, 09:15