VietNamNet Bridge – A senior trade official from Thailand has called on Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand to resume joint efforts to produce and export rice.

Illustrative image. (Source: VNA)
At a press conference held recently in Bangkok, the Director General of Thailand’s Trade Negotiations Department Srirat Rastapana, said that ASEAN countries will pursue the discussions further, as the subject was brought up at the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh last week, initially at a bilateral level

Chookiat Ophasvongse, President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said that ASEAN countries work close together to transfer knowledge and new technologies in rice production.

Multilateral cooperation in rice trading will be difficult given the different situations in each country, he added.

This year, Vietnam and Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporters, plan to sell nearly 6.5 million tonnes of rice overseas each.

However, both countries are now not in such a commanding position as more countries are currently tending to buy rice from India.

VietNamNet/Vietnam Plus