The volume of rice exports to the United States is expected to double in the next few years because more and more people are starting to go for the Pathum Thani variety, Thai exporters and American importers said yesterday.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Pathum Thani or Prathum rice was becoming popular among the Hispanic population because not only is it fragrant, it is also cheaper.

On average, Thailand exports some 300,000 to 400,000 tonnes of mostly jasmine rice to the US.

The jasmine or hom mali rice is usually quoted at a higher price because it can only be grown in some areas of the five Northeast provinces. The less-fragrant Prathum rice, on the other hand, can be grown anywhere in Central Thailand and is usually quoted at US$100 (Bt3,400) less than jasmine rice.

On average, some 4 to 5 million tonnes of Prathum rice is produced every year and some exporters have complained that government policies encouraging farmers to grow this variety has destroyed the demand for premium jasmine rice.

However, the increasing interest in Prathum rice among the American Hispanics is a good thing because it offers the exporters a new market to focus on. Previously, Prathum rice was saved for domestic consumption or sold mixed in with jasmine rice to markets in the region like China.

Juvenal Chavez, chairman and CEO of Mi Pueblo Food Centre, a leading Hispanic grocery-store chain in the US, said American consumers were becoming more interested in Prathum rice because it was cheaper compared to other types of fragrant rice.

The company expects to import some 800 to 1,000 tonnes of the variety to retail through its 18 outlets this year.
In order to grab consumers' attention and make them more aware of the Prathum strain, the store will cooperate with the importing firm - PK Food - to set up special booths where shoppers can get to taste this rice.

Pramook Jirdpongsatorn, president of the California-based PK Food, one of the largest importers in the US, said demand for Prathum rice is bound to rise in the US because Thai food and related items were starting to become more popular.

Hispanics are the third-largest demographic group in the US, accounting for 14 per cent of the total population or 60 million people. Their combined purchasing power is estimated at more than $1 trillion a year.

Other products that have good potential for export are shrimp, fillet fish, canned food, mobile-phone accessories, garments, kitchenware, furniture and footwear.

Source: The Nation