Thailand expects rice exports to Malaysia to exceed 700,000 tonnes after BERNAS talks

Thailand strengthens ties with Malaysia’s sole rice importer

Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade has held talks with Padiberas Nasional Berhad, or BERNAS, as the two sides seek to deepen their rice-trade relationship and support continued Malaysian purchases. According to Thai newspaper Naewna, both parties are confident that Thai rice exports to Malaysia will exceed 700,000 tonnes this year.

Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade, assigned deputy director-general Chaninthorn Hrimcharoen to lead a delegation of Thai government and private-sector representatives to Kuala Lumpur. The visit was organized with support from Thailand’s overseas trade promotion office in the Malaysian capital.

BERNAS is Malaysia’s sole rice importer, making its procurement plans central to the country’s external rice supply. The discussions therefore gave Thai officials and exporters direct access to the organization responsible for Malaysian rice imports rather than treating the visit solely as a general trade-promotion exercise.

Procurement plans and market conditions discussed

The two sides exchanged information on the rice market and reviewed Malaysia’s import policies and future purchasing direction. They also discussed BERNAS’s rice procurement plan for 2026, identified in the Thai source as Buddhist year 2569. No breakdown by rice variety, contract value or delivery schedule was disclosed.

BERNAS expressed continued confidence in the quality of Thai rice and in suppliers’ ability to deliver contracted volumes, Naewna reported. The Malaysian company also confirmed that it intends to continue importing Thai rice during the year. For Thai sellers, that commitment provides a clearer demand signal in a market where purchases are coordinated through a single authorized importer.

The reported expectation of more than 700,000 tonnes represents a volume threshold rather than a completed trade result. Actual shipments will still depend on procurement decisions and contract execution during the year. The available source did not provide a comparison with the previous year, the original official target, prices or Thailand’s share of Malaysia’s total rice imports.

Exporters build direct commercial contacts

Alongside the official talks, the Department of Foreign Trade organized a Thai rice promotion and business-networking event at a restaurant carrying the Thai SELECT certification. More than 50 participants attended, including Thailand’s ambassador in Kuala Lumpur, representatives of BERNAS and rice traders from Thailand and Malaysia.

The combination of policy discussions and direct meetings between traders gives Thai suppliers an opportunity to align offers with Malaysia’s purchasing requirements. BERNAS’s confidence in product quality and contractual delivery supports Thailand’s position, while the procurement talks offer exporters greater visibility into anticipated demand.

For Malaysia, continued access to Thai rice adds supply continuity through an established commercial relationship. For Thailand, exceeding 700,000 tonnes would confirm Malaysia as a substantial destination for its rice sector. The next measure of progress will be whether the procurement plans and commercial contacts translate into contracted and delivered cargoes during the year.