Hom Mali push in Hong Kong

Hom Mali push in Hong Kong

The government has vowed to recoup the market share of Hom Mali fragrant rice in Hong Kong after the rice-pledging scheme caused the premium Thai rice to become less competitive over the past three years.

Deputy Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, who met 40 rice importers from Hong Kong yesterday, said the government has agreed to team up with Hong Kong importers to beef up shipments of Hom Mali rice.

Apiradi: Hom Mali is of high quality

The previous government's controversial rice scheme has been blamed for the market share of Hom Mali rice in Hong Kong falling sharply to 40-50% from as high as 90% in the past.

Overall shipments of Hom Mali rice reached 1.56 million tonnes in 2011 but fell to 1.38 million in 2012 and 1.48 million last year, with broken rice down from 765,000 tonnes in 2011 and 513,000 in 2012 to 416,000 last year.

Shipments to Hong Kong were not bad in 2013, recovering to 142,000 tonnes thanks largely to Thailand's partnership with exporters and millers to sell Hom Mali rice directly to buyers.

In 2012, Hom Mali rice exports to the Chinese territory totalled 134,000 tonnes, down from 156,000 in 2011. Hom Mali broken rice, however, fell to 900 tonnes in 2013 against 1,900 and 5,700 tonnes in 2012 and 2011, respectively.

For the first nine months of this year, Thailand shipped 1.3 million tonnes of Hom Mali rice, down 4.6% year-on-year.

Shipments to Hong Kong accounted for 101,777 tonnes, down 4.56%. However, exports to mainland China still managed to increase by 3.6% to 67,787 tonnes.

"We believe we will be able to regain our market share, as the price of Hom Mali rice has dropped to a competitive and affordable rate," said Mrs Apiradi.

"More importantly, Hom Mali rice is of high quality and widely accepted among Hong Kong consumers."

Hong Kong importers have proposed Thailand step up investing in public relations for Hom Mali certification from the Foreign Trade Department to build up confidence in rice quality.

They have also suggested the Thai government register Hom Mali certification in Chinese both in Hong Kong and mainland China to make the rice better known among Chinese consumers.

Thai rice operators and traders were invited to a fair in Hong Kong next August to showcase the quality of Hom Mali rice.

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