Reports of fake Thai rice on sale in China
The Commerce Ministry is monitoring reports of Cambodian-grown rice products distributed in China, which use packaging bearing the print of a Thai flag and a certification emblem for Thai jasmine rice.
Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), said the reports came from Thais living in China who spotted the emblem in Chinese supermarkets that looked similar to the official Thai Hom Mali Rice Certificate Mark (an ear of rice on a green background).
This logo is issued by the Department of Foreign Trade to certify genuine Thai Hom Mali rice (Thai jasmine rice).
DITP offices in China have looked into both online and offline channels where the rice is sold, including e-commerce platforms like Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo.
Some products were labelled in Chinese as "Cambodian Jasmine Rice", some brands used the term "Thai Hom Mali Rice".
This can cause confusion among Chinese consumers and lead them to mistakenly believe they are buying authentic Thai Hom Mali rice. As a result, there could be harm to the image of the rice and trust in the Chinese market, said Ms Sunanta.
Several measures have been implemented by the DITP offices in seven Chinese cities, including consulting with Thai Hom Mali rice importers and online platforms to prevent the sale of incorrectly presented rice, and raising awareness among Chinese consumers of the correct Thai Hom Mali Rice Certificate Mark.
Other measures include coordination with the Ministry of Commerce office in Beijing to discuss stricter controls on misleading products with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
Further legal action could be taken against offenders for false advertising and infringement of consumer rights, she said.
Meanwhile, the National Rice Policy and Management Committee (NRPMC) on Thursday approved measures with a total budget of over 50 billion baht to support in-season rice farmers by stabilising rice prices for the 2025/2026 crop year.
Thailand exported 3.05 million tonnes of rice during the first five months of this year, less than half of the annual target of 7.5 million tonnes.
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