Thai rice export to RI surge

Thai rice export to RI surge

BANGKOK (Dow Jones): Thailand's rice exports to Indonesia
during the period January to June 1998 totaled 969,300 metric
tons, up 454 percent from 175,000 tons in the same period last
year, according to a Department of Foreign Trade report.

Rice exports by value in the first six months totaled 10.6
billion baht, up 677 percent from 1.4 billion baht in the same
period the previous year. The rise partly reflects the steep
depreciation in the value of the baht since July 1997.

Thailand last year exported 513,900 metric tons of rice to
Indonesia, valued at 4.3 billion baht.

Indonesia last year was Thailand's second largest export
market for rice after Nigeria. However, the El Nio weather
phenomenon and wildfire damage to 450,000 hectares of Indonesia's
domestic rice plantation area reduced Indonesia rice production,
according to the report.