Nigeria: 'Thailand Exports 1 Million Tonnes of Rice Annually'

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

31 Jan 2010

Thailand exports about 1 million tonnes of rice to Nigeria annually, the Chief Executive Officer of CP group, (a Thai Agricultural company) Piasil Damrongchietanon has said. Speaking yesterday in Abuja when he led a delegation of his company to Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the Chief Executive Officer said that Nigeria is one of the biggest buyers of rice from Thailand.
He said his company is one of the largest producers of rice that is imported into the country. He said Nigeria has potentials for seeds but still has more room for yield improvement especially the maize seeds.
Also speaking, the Minister Counsellor (Commercial),Royal Thai Embassy in Nigeria, Boon Intiratana said the total trade volume between Nigeria and Thailand last year was about 800 million dollars.
He said for the first time last year his country imported oil from Nigeria worth about 10 million dollars and about 20 million dollars worth of Gas. He said Nigeria is the second largest trading partner with Thailand in Africa after South Africa, adding that the Thai companies are willing to partner Nigerian private sector to set up plants in the country.
He said the minister of Commerce from his country has concluded arrangement to visit his Nigerian counterpart to strengthen the trade relationship amongst the two countries.
Speaking, the Executive Secretary of NIPC Engr. Mustafa Bello, welcomed the company's intention to invest in Agricultural production, adding that the new technology has the ability to produce more yield for farmers.

Source: Daily Trust