Thai Hom Mali rice bags World’s Best Rice Award for second consecutive year
Thailand’s Hom Mali rice, also known as jasmine rice, has won the 13th World’s Best Rice Award for the second year consecutively, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday.
The award ceremony was held during December 7-9 in Dubai, UAE, by the United States Rice Traders Association.
Eleven types of rice from six countries – Thailand, the US, China, India, Vietnam and Myanmar – had been nominated this year.
Hom Mali 105 rice, which is grown in the Northeast of Thailand, was crowned this year’s world’s best rice.
Thai rice has won the title seven times in the past.
“Winning the title of the world’s best rice is proof of Thailand’s dedication in continually improving its rice quality through the years,” Jurin said.
“This award is a shared accomplishment of farmers, agricultural associations, exporters and government agencies, especially the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry and the Commerce Ministry.”
Jurin said the award would also help strengthen the confidence of global consumers in the quality of Thai rice.
“We expect this year’s rice exports to exceed the target of 6 million tonnes,” he said. “As for next year, the ministry estimates that exports will soar to 7 to 7.5 million tonnes and could move Thailand up to the position of the world’s second largest rice exporter following India and ahead of Vietnam, which is currently in second place.”
Meanwhile, Thai Rice Exporters Association president Charoen Laothammatas said the country needs to develop better and cheaper jasmine rice in order to surpass Vietnam, which currently exports 2.5 million tonnes more jasmine rice than Thailand.
“Furthermore, next year rice exporters must prepare for various problems such as container shortages and increasing costs due to rising freight fees to certain destinations,” he added.