Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, is ready to host a meeting of rice exporting countries as worries on global food crisis have intensified, the state run Thai News Agency said on Tuesday.
Envoys from six member countries of the Council on Rice Trade Cooperation (CRTC) including Vietnam, Pakistan, India, China, Myanmar and Thailand met Tuesday with Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama to discuss the global food shortage, the report said.
The diplomats agreed to inform all council members about a formal meeting in the coming months and that Thailand is ready to host the meeting.
Major issues to be discussed include improving rice quality, production and an exchange of rice farming know-how among the members.
The envoys also agreed that such a meeting should be held at least once a year.
After the meeting, Noppadon said before media that Tuesday's meeting did not discuss on a plan to set up a rice cartel group known as the Organization of Rice Exporting Countries, proposed recently by Thailand Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to his Myanmar counterpart.
However, the idea of establishing a rice cartel has drawn objections from rice importing countries on fears that producers would dictate rice prices and supply in the world market, the report said.
Noppadon said Thailand will not push to form such a group as it could deteriorate the world food supply situation. But he said the group could be set up after rice quality has improved and the exact annual production by producing countries is known.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article