The Ministry of Commerce is set to adjust the 2015 exports projectiondue to the global economy's uncertain recovery, and has ordered theDepartment of Foreign Trade (DFT) to communicate with private companieson the release of in-stock rice.

The Minister of Commerce GenChatchai Sarikulya has revealed that the Ministry will be revising thisyear's exports growth projection down from previous forecast at 1.2percent, as Thai exports are still overshadowed by the uncertainty ofthe global economy. New projections will be concluded by next week.

Regardingthe government's release of in-stock rice, the Commerce Minister hassaid that the DFT has been ordered to communicate with the millersassociations and exporters to discuss the plan's scope, in order to pushthe total exports of Thai rice this year over 10 million tonnes.

Theprinciples for the release of 400,000-500,000 tonnes of good qualityrice will be announced next week, while the ministry is also compilingthe principles for the release of another 1.29 million tonnes of poorquality rice to the industrial sector.

Regarding claims by riceexporters stating that the purchasing price of rice in the market thatshould be higher than the current price, the Minister of Commerce hassaid that the Department of Foreign Trade has been ordered to verifyfactual information on this matter, but he believes that the currentprice of 9,000 THB per tonne is the proper price, in line with marketmechanisms.

He said that the price of rice will continue to increase, but much of this depends on the market's demand and supply.-VNA