WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG
Bangkok Post
Thai Hom Mali rice could lose market share in Hong Kong to Cambodia, where premium fragrant rice sells at more competitive prices.
Hong Kong imports 220,000 to 230,000 tonnes, or 10% of the jasmine Hom Mali rice Thailand ships each year.
But the volume of Thai rice to the territory has been falling in recent years, as Cambodia offers lower prices by shipping out of ports in Vietnam, Thai exporters said.
"Cambodian fragrant rice sold in Hong Kong is very competitive at US$800 per tonne, lower than the $1,100 for Thai rice," said Charoen Laothamatas, the president of Uthai Produce, the country's leading Hom Mali exporter.
Thai Hom Mali exports to Hong Kong dropped to 196,100 tonnes last year, down 3% from the year before. In the first 10 months this year, the volume shrank 14% to 135,000 tonnes.
"Cambodia's jasmine rice appears to have the similar fine quality of Thai rice since it also has many locally owned strains and cross-bred varieties, some developed from Thai Hom Dok Mali 105 and Pathum Thani 1," he said.
Its exports have been active in recent years thanks to good productivity and the strong sweet scent of its jasmine rice grown from fertile soil with fewer chemical fertilisers, said Mr Charoen.
Prime Minister Hun Sen forecast earlier that Cambodia would produce 7.5 million tonnes of rice this year, more than enough for local consumption of 4 million, so it plans to export the balance.
Thai Hom Mali rice also must deal with fake Hom Mali being sold in Hong Kong and China.
Because Hom Mali sells at a premium, it encourages traders to copy the trademarks on bags of lower-standard grain, said Mr Charoen.
Hom Mali exports have dropped to 1.82 million tonnes in the first 10 months of the year, down 14% from the same period of 2009.
His company's sales last year shrank to between 150,000 and 160,000 tonnes from more than 250,000 the year before.
To alleviate the problem, he suggests the government classify other Thai jasmine fragrant rice strains in order to offer choices for consumers who don't want to spend as much.
He added the quality of Hom Mali rice, especially the aroma, has been deteriorating due to a lack of investment in research and development of rice breeds and the lack of a zoning system to ensure the grain's properties.
"It is always frightening to learn there are new strains of less fragrant jasmine rice being planted in the Northeast, the region most suitable for growing Hom Mali," he said.
Mr Charoen also urged the government to guard against illegal imports of Cambodian jasmine rice by Thai millers because of the Thai government's income guarantee programme.
6 comments:
នេះជាដំណឹងមួយល្អ សម្រាប់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាយើង។
ក្រោមការដឹកនាំដ៍ឆ្លៀសវ័យរបស់សម្ដេចសមរង្ស៊ី កម្ពុជានឹងមានសក្ដានុពលផ្នែកសេដ្ឋកិច្ចខ្លាំងក្លា
មួយ ក្នុងតំបន់អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍ជាមិនខាន ។ដូចជាគម្រោងទស្សនកិច្ចរបស់លោកសមរដ្ស៊ីនៅប្រទេសចិនខាងមុខនេះ នឹងមានការចុះកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងស្ដីពី ការនាំចេញភោគផលកសិកម្មមួយចំនួន ទោលើទីផ្សារប្រទេសចិន ទាំងនេះគឺសុទ្ធតែដំណឹងជាវិជ្ជមានសម្រាប់ខ្មែរយើង ?
Good to hear Cambodia is exporting rice, but be sure to keep domestic price for rice lower for the home consumers while the state should encourage farmers to produce more by part subsidising their produce.
When farmers become better off in this way there should be greater incentive for them to keep producing more surplus which will add to the volume of the country's export while ensuring that there is food on the table for everyone, particularly, the rural producers themselves.
Kouprey
Cambodia has a seaport at Koh Kong.How come Khmer rice transport to Vietnam and go to Hong Kong?.
Oh! Yes,because Khmer is a country,but the products belong to Vietnam.
Maybe Rice from Battambang,Siem Reap,Kompong Thom,and Pursat to Thailand because my brother told me that Thai came and bought rice in Sisophon.
My advice is to store up grain for the lean years which is coming upon this earth. Food shortage is in the horizon. I use Hom Mali rice myself. I don't know know whether its the premium grade or the fake stuff. I live in America and I been buying extra noodles and rice to keep on hand if a disaster should strike and stopped all transportation.
The grain prices been rising on the commodity exchange. Actually, everything as food been rising in prices due to inflationary. And food shortage. I don't like what I was hearing that the government want to prohibit people from growing their own food. This is America folks. Sound like the New World Order will use shortage of food to force people to accept the change that is coming upon the face of this earth.
AH SIAM IS AFRAID OF LOSING IT'S REPUTATION TO CAMBODIA HAHAA! China and Cambodia is one! Cambodia can be China province! I support! FUCK WHORENAM!
of course, why are people so surprise about khmer malis rice or jasmine rice brand from cambodia. it's about time the world learn and eating khmer delicious rice! i'm sick of eating siem's rice all this time. it's time for khmer rice in the world market from now on! god bless cambodia.
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