Rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s second-largest shipper, may rise to a record of 6 million tonnes in 2009 aided by lower prices, narrowing the gap with rival Thailand, according to US forecasts.
“Vietnam’s price quotes are well below Thailand’s price quotes, making Vietnam a very competitive supplier,” Nathan Childs and Katherine Baldwin of the US Agriculture Department was quoted by "Bloomberg" as saying.
The lower prices may push Vietnam’s exports this year 29 percent higher than the level in 2008 and surpass 2005’s record 5.2 million tons. Thailand will probably ship 8.5 million tons this year, down 15 percent from 2008 and the lowest level in three years, the US forecast.
Rice shipments from Vietnam this year totalled more than 4.2 million tonnes by August 14, according to the Vietnam Food Association’s statistics./.