Commerce to sell 250,000 tonnes of rice to Iran in G2G deal
The Commerce Ministry has signed a government-to-government contract with Iran to sell it 250,000 tonnes of rice this year, as the ministry continues to pursue opportunities to reduce its rice stocks piled up under the pledging scheme.
This is the first G2G rice deal between Thailand and Iran since 2007.
Commerce Minister Niwatthum-rong Boonsongpaisan said the government planned to export more rice to Iran next year, up to 500,000 tonnes, as that country has high demand for the commodity.
“The government will also continue to negotiate with Iran and other countries to sell more rice, as well as release rice via domestic bids.
“This will ensure that Thailand exports 8.5 million tonnes this year,” he said.
The G2G deal with Iran resulted from a recent meeting between a Commerce Ministry team and Mehdi Ghazanfari, the Iranian minister of industries and business, and representatives of the Government Trading Corporation of Iran.
Niwatthumrong said the first shipment to Iran was scheduled for October. The export of 250,000 tonnes of 100-per-cent white rice Grade B should be completed within six months. Iran will pay in cash.
The minister said Iran was a potential long-term market for Thai rice as the country had high demand for rice each year.
The Thai government will cooperate with Iran to promote consumption of Thai rice in place of basmati, a variety of long-grain rice usually sourced in South Asia.
However, the meeting between Thai and Iranian officials was about more than just rice.
The two countries intend to forge closer cooperation on trade and investment. Thailand will supply more foods, particularly halal foods, and agricultural products to Iran, while also acting as a springboard for Iran to explore Asean markets.
Meanwhile, after inspecting packed rice at a Tesco Lotus branch in Nonthaburi, Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach reaffirmed the high quality of Thai rice. The ministry’s Anti-contaminated Rice Trade Centre has found no substandard grains or toxins in Thai rice sold domestically or for export.
He said the government would regularly provide information on its rice inspections to the public as teams investigate every week.
Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director of Tesco Lotus, said sales of packed rice were continuing as usual.
Tesco says it gives the highest priority to food safety and has strict quality-control methods in place for Tesco brand packed rice. It selects rice suppliers according to strict international standards including factory audits and inspection of the packing process
After concerns on rice safety, Tesco Lotus took 12 extra random samples of Tesco brand rice for laboratory testing to ISO 17025 standards on June 18. The testing found that all Tesco brands of rice met international standards.
