India overtakes Thailand as world's largest rice exporter

Bangkok: India has overtaken Thailand as the world's largest rice exporter in 2015, shipping 10.23 million tonnes, a top Thai rice exporters body said Wednesday.

Thai Rice Exporters Association Chairman Charoen Laodhammatas said that Thailand exported 9.8 million tonnes of rice in 2015, down 10.8 per cent year-on-year.

He attributed the downturn to the global economy's contraction, especially among countries with high rice demand, noting that the falling price of oil also impacted the buying power of such countries, National News Bureau Of Thailand reported.

Thailand ended 2015 behind India for rice exports. India sold 10.23 million tonnes of rice. Vietnam was third globally while China remained the number one importer of rice.