India’s rice exports are forecast at 9 million tons this year followed by Vietnam’s 7.4 million tons and Thailand’s 6.5 million tons, according to the London-based International Grains Council. The two countries jumped ahead of Thailand in rice exports last year.
Outpacing Vietnam to second place is going to be a lot easier for Thailand than beating India any time soon, analysts say.
Up against Vietnam, Thailand has several advantages, including the demand for its longer-grain rice by buyers Iraq and Republic of Benin in west Africa and a recent push by the Thai government to sell some of its stockpiled rice. But Thailand lost so much ground in its fall from No. 1 that it will find it very challenging to sell enough to pass India, despite that country’s own expected drop in exports, analysts say.