Thailand: Grain and Feed Monthly

Thai rice exports are firmly in recovery. African buyers now take the largest share of shipments, while steady orders from ASEAN markets, particularly Malaysia and the Philippines, driven by El Niño stockpiling, have kept the pace strong through July. Export prices softened before regaining ground in most grades of rice, with only the lowest grades still under pressure from cheaper Indian supply. On the supply side, rainfall remains below normal across the main rice-growing regions, reservoir levels trail last year by a wide margin. This season's water allocation from major reservoirs for the Chao Phraya basin reaches low levels and forecasters expect El Niño to strengthen further through year-end.