ACMECS Countries to Join Hands to Promote Rice Quality, Image

Vietnam and four other countries under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Strategy (ACMECS) have started a work on a regional rice cooperation agreement to enhance the image and quality of Southeast Asian rice.

 

The initial focus will be on production technology transfer and information exchange among Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, which together control 45 per cent of the global rice trade.

 

“'The agreement will help raise the image of the region as a site to produce varieties of rice with high standards,” said Thai Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet.

 

Thailand is now the world’s largest rice exporter, with projected shipments of about eight million tons this year, while Vietnam plans to export about five million tons. Cambodia and Myanmar ship about 300,000 tons and 100,000 tons per year, respectively.

 

Thailand already has a bilateral rice co-operation agreement with Vietnam, its major export competitor. The co-operation remains active and the two countries will meet in Hanoi next month.

 

ACMECS is a political, economic and cultural organization consisting of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

It acts as a catalyst to build upon existing regional co-operation programs and complement bilateral frameworks with a view to transforming the border areas of the five countries into zones of economic growth and fostering social progress and prosperity and mixing local, national and regional interests for shared prosperity, enhanced solidarity, peace and stability. (Trade)