Thailand Boosts Rice Exports to South Africa, Secures Over THB 7.15 Billion in Sales
March, 30 2025
As a result of the negotiations, South Africa agreed to purchase a total of 400,000 tons of Thai rice, generating over THB 7.15 billion (approximately USD 204.5 million) in revenue for Thailand.
The rice shipments will begin gradually from March to June 2025, helping to release about 1 million tons of paddy rice from the Thai domestic market.
South Africa Continues to Trust in Thai Rice Quality
This partnership reflects South Africa’s continued trust in the quality and standards of Thai rice. The export volume is expected to grow steadily in 2025, supporting Thailand’s goal of exporting a total of 7.5 million tons of rice for the year.
The ministry also organized promotional activities, including demonstrations on how to verify the quality of Thai Hom Mali rice (Green Label), to build confidence among South African consumers.
Upcoming Thailand Rice Convention 2025 and New Market Expansion in Asia
According to Ms. Arada Fuangthong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, despite the decline in Thai rice imports by South Africa in 2024 due to global market fluctuations, Thailand remains South Africa’s top rice supplier.
To sustain this momentum, the department plans to host the Thailand Rice Convention (TRC 2025) from May 25–27, 2025, and will lead Thai rice exporters to visit the Philippines, Japan, and China between August and September 2025 to further strengthen trade relationships and expand market opportunities.