The Commerce Ministry's Foreign Trade Department will call for bids on a total of 753,855.67 tonnes of different grades of rice and paddy from the state's stockpiles, reports said on Tuesday.

The winners are required to export the grain or sell locally, with varyibg conbditiobns. Tenders will be called on Aug 28, the reports said.

The government earlier failed to release its stockpile of over 11 million tonnes of rice pledged to the government and carries stocks of paddy from the crop year 2005/06. The failure was attributed to the low prices offered by bidders.

This time, the department is offering for sale 210,660.9 tonnes of five per cent white rice for export; a total of 499,068.51 tonnes of second grade 100% Hom Mali rice, Pathum Thani rice, local fragrant rice from provinces and A1 special broken rice. These different types of rice were pledged under the rice scheme implemented since last year.

It will also offer to sell another 44,126.26 tonnes of Hom Mali paddy, local fragrant paddy from provinces and five per cent white paddy kept since 2005.

Bidders have to submit price for the whole amount kept in each warehouse and maintain the offering price for 20 days. They can seek the right to inspect the quality of the rice before submitting their bids. The department may negotiate on prices with bidders whose prices are in acceptable ranges.

Source: Bangkok Post