CHANTHABURI, April 22 (Bernama) -- Thai traders who until recently imported paddy (unmilled) rice from Cambodia are now suffering as the Cambodian government has started controlling rice exports in the face of steadily rising demestic prices, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.
Sombat Jungtrakul, president of the Chanthaburi Border Trade Operators Club, said Cambodia is also facing the challenge of high local prices for rice, a problem similar to that in Thailand.
He said that the neighbouring country has imposed measures to control rice exports aimed at ensuring there would not be a rice shortage in the country.
Because of the strict measures, Thai border rice traders who formerly imported several thousand tonnes of rice each year from Cambodia -- because of prices cheaper than in Thailand -- are now unable to import paddy from that country, said Sombat.
Meanwhile, consumers in Thailand's northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani bordering Laos have switched to eat low quality rice as the price of 'Kao Hom Mali' fragrant rice has risen to Bt37 from Bt25 a kilogramme and the price of premium grade glutinous (sticky) rice has increased to Bt27 from Bt20 per kg.
Traders in the province said they expected that rice prices in Ubon Ratchathani would jump slightly, especially during Buddhist Lent, which falls on July 18.
(RM1=Bt10)--
BERNAMA
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