Government to Reduce Thai Rice Export Tax
BANGKOK (NNT) – The Cabinet has approved in principle the Commerce Ministry’s plan to reduce surcharges for Thai rice exporters on rice shipments under the EU and UK quotas.
Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the export surcharge has been reduced to 1,500 baht per ton for grains bound for the EU and 1,200 baht a ton for shipments to the UK. The surcharge cut is meant to increase the competitiveness of Thai rice exporters in the two markets.
According to the Commerce Ministry, the Foreign Trade Department introduced the surcharge for rice exporters under a quota agreement with the EU in 1997 to raise proceeds for the International Trade Promotion Fund. Rice exporters had to pay a surcharge of 2,500 baht per ton, and exporters who buy rice from millers for export must pay a tax of 0.75% of export value.
Ms Rachada said Thai rice exports face fierce competition from countries such as Vietnam, which can produce high-quality and better varieties of rice to meet the demands of trade partners, adding that reducing the surcharge means that the International Trade Promotion Fund will have to forego about 31 million baht a year.