Thailand will focus on premium varieties and reduce off-season farming in the face of greater global competition in rice.
Addressing the Thailand Rice Convention, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government would accelerate the restructuring of rice production management.
Plans call for designated rice-farming areas suited to each variety, adequate production to meet market demand and a reduction in off-season rice production to keep supply at an appropriate level.
Gen Prayut said farmland consolidation among rice farmers would be encouraged to cut production costs.
Gen Prayut: Grow, market higher-value rice
The government will provide support for R&D, assist in improved rice production and quality and promote production of specific rice for niche markets.
The prime minister said the state would place emphasis on developing rice varieties with better quality, higher yields and lower cost, while promoting the use of organic fertilisers and biofertilisers to maintain quality standards and safety in plant food.
Additionally, the government will encourage production of high-quality local rice with outstanding properties such as organic rice, germinated brown rice, rice burry and Khao Leum Pua.
State agencies will provide a stringent system to monitor the quality of rice at each stage of the process and encourage mill operators to make improvements to meet good manufacturing standards, Gen Prayut said.
A one-stop standardised inspection and quality assurance operations centre is in the works to provide better supervision of the rice trading system and ensure each grain of Thai rice meets the various international standards of partner countries.
To attain pricing competitiveness, improvements in the domestic transport system will also help to ease costs.
The government is committed to promoting international cooperation, especially between Thai exporters and major foreign trade partners, as a means of encouraging Thais to enter new markets, especially in Asean members.
Back at home, the government plans to set up a special economic zone for adding value to rice and other agricultural products of Thailand and neighbouring countries, with this country acting as a hub for value-added management and distribution of products from Asean to the world.
Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said despite sluggish global demand, the government was maintaining its forecast for rice exports of 10 million tonnes this year.