Rice bags offered for sale at a supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand's rice export is facing anunpromising outlook in the second half of 2020 amid sluggish global demandcaused by the coronavirus crisis.
Local media cited Charoen Laothammatas, Presidentof the Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA), as saying that overall Thai riceexport activity is relatively quiet in July after the pandemic resulted in thecollapse of Phoenix Commodities, one of the world's biggest commodity traders.
Phoenix Commodities' collapse affects almost allrice exporters in Thailand, Charoen said, noting that it was a trading partnerof many Thai rice exporters, particularly those who ship rice to Africa.
This UAE-based company, trading in grains, coal,metals and other commodities, is estimated to owe 1 billion THB (31.7 millionUSD) to Thai exporters who sell rice on credit to it.
According to Charoen, the appreciation of theThai baht earlier this month and drastic foreign exchange swings have also ledalmost all exporters to baulk at rice shipments.
In the first five months, Thailand exported 2.57million tonnes of rice worth 54.16 billion THB, down 31.9 percent and 13.2percent from the same period last year, respectively.
Its biggest rice importers during the periodwere the US, South Africa, Angola, China, and Japan.
The TREA set a full-year rice export target of7.5 million tonnes but is scheduled to adjust the target on July 22.
Thailand shipped 7.58 million tonnes of riceworth 131 billion THB in 2019, down 32 percent in volume and 25 percent invalue year on year./.
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Rice bags offered for sale at a supermarket in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: VNA) 
