Bangkok, Feb. 27 -- Thailand's rice exports fell sharply in January, raising concerns that the country's total exports for the year could hit a five-year low due to the appreciating baht and intensifying global competition.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said total exports in January reached only 530,000 tonnes, down 17.5% from the same period last year, while export value plummeted 30.7% to 9.7 billion THB (about 312 million USD). Average monthly exports are expected to remain at around 500,000 tonnes until mid-year due to various challenges.
The association projects rice exports of 7.03 million tonnes this year, down 11% year-on-year, with export value forecast to fall 12.3% to 130 billi...