Thailand negotiates additional 60,000-tonne government rice sale to China
Thailand has offered COFCO a competitive price for another 60,000 tonnes of rice under a government-to-government arrangement. Bangkok wants to complete the sale before its main-crop harvest reaches the market and is working to expand bilateral purchases toward 500,000 tonnes.
Bangkok submits offer to COFCO
Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade is negotiating the sale of another 60,000 tonnes of rice to China's state-owned COFCO Corporation under a government-to-government arrangement. Director-General Arada Fuangtong said the department had submitted a competitively priced offer and was seeking an early agreement on price and other transaction details, according to Thairath and The Better.
The proposed consignment would follow the delivery of 40,000 tonnes to COFCO in March 2026. That shipment came from 280,000 tonnes still awaiting delivery under the previous contract, and Thailand has received payment for it. COFCO subsequently notified the department that it wanted to purchase the additional 60,000 tonnes.
No agreed price or delivery schedule for the new lot has been disclosed. The negotiations therefore remain open, although the Thai authorities are pursuing discussions with the Chinese government at multiple levels.
Sale timed for arrival of main-crop rice
The Department of Foreign Trade is seeking to close the transaction before Thailand's main-crop rice begins entering the market toward the end of the year. Arada said a successful sale would provide an outlet for the new harvest, absorb surplus domestic supply and help raise paddy prices received by farmers.
The ministry also expects the transaction to support rice shipments during the final part of the year. Thailand has set an annual rice export target of 7 million tonnes. The 60,000-tonne lot would equal less than 1% of that target, but its timing could matter for the domestic market because it would coincide with increasing seasonal availability.
For millers and exporters, completion of the deal would create a confirmed destination for part of the approaching crop. For farmers, the government expects the additional demand to strengthen the market for paddy. The sources did not identify the rice variety covered by the negotiations or provide a value for the proposed sale.
Contract expansion targets 500,000 tonnes
Thailand is also preparing to amend the bilateral contract following a Cabinet resolution on August 5, 2026. The decision authorized an additional 220,000 tonnes in rice trade with the Chinese government. The Department of Foreign Trade intends to complete the amendment within the year so the agreement can accommodate the larger volume.
The previous contract originally covered 1 million tonnes, with Chinese purchases reducing the outstanding amount to 280,000 tonnes, Thairath reported. The department is now pressing for Chinese government imports of Thai rice to reach a combined target of 500,000 tonnes as soon as possible. The immediate 60,000-tonne negotiation is one part of that broader effort, but completion still depends on the two sides agreeing on price and delivery terms.
