The Ministry of Commerce has denied the rumor of rice dumping in Indonesia which allegedly affected rice prices in the global market and upset many rice producers.

Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade Surasak Reingkhrua on Sunday confirmed the ministry had not sold Thai rice under the rice subsidy program at less than normal value in Indonesia and other countries as the rumor said. Thai rice currently sold in Indonesia was more expensive than other rice and had better quality, the official said.

Mr Surasak stated further that Indonesia had not bought rice from Thailand since 2013 due to the country’s higher rice production. Before that, Thailand had exported higher-priced rice which Indonesia could not produced by itself such as jasmine rice, sticky rice and broken sticky rice.

The official reiterated that the ministry sold rice from government warehouses at the prices in line with the market and quality of the produce. The average price of Thai rice is around 440 USD/ton, higher than rice from Vietnam and India, Thailand’s competitors, who sell their grains at 400 USD/ton and 419 USD/ton respectively.

Source: National News Bureau & Public Relations