Thailand is expected to export more rice to Iran soon after that country lifts an import ban imposed three years ago after a Thai exporter defaulted on a rice-shipment contract, the foreign Trade Department has said.
To ensure the quality of Thai rice and that it will be shipped as agreed, Iran will send a team of officials, mainly from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and representatives from private enterprise, to inspect this country's production procedures from field to shipment next month.
Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of the department, said it was good to see that Iran seemed ready to resume rice imports from Thailand.
The Thai goverment has tried hard to persuade the Iranian government to import rice from Thailand as in the past. Iran is a major rice-importing country - more than a million tonnes a year, she said.
In total, Iran is expected to import about 1.3 million tonnes of rice this year from global sources.