Thai Jasmine Rice Export and the China Corridor

Questions this report answers

How big is the Thai Hom Mali jasmine export segment, and how does it differ from total Thai rice export aggregates? 9M🔒 2024 jasmine volume was 1,233,108 tonnes per TREA tabulation (versus white rice 4,702,455 tonnes and parboiled 814,791 tonnes). Jasmine is ~15%🔒 of export volume but a higher share of value at the USD 935🔒 per tonne 2024 average versus white-rice averages closer to USD 600🔒 per tonne.^{[2, 1, 3]}

What is the China corridor, and is it growing? 2025 saw Thai rice exports to China at ~0.65M🔒 tonnes, +48.95%🔒 YoY per Nation Thailand reporting on commerce-ministry data. China is the largest single jasmine destination and the visible growth corridor. Volumes are not separately published in Chinese customs HS 1006.30 disaggregations.^[4]

How does Vietnamese ST25 competition reshape pricing power? 2025/26 Thai Hom Mali quoted at USD 1,120🔒 per tonne; Vietnamese fragrant rice at USD 460-900🔒 per tonne; ST25 in Europe at USD 1,250🔒 per tonne. The USD 200-650🔒 per tonne gap defines the substitution risk for price-sensitive buyers; ST25 won the World's Best Rice contest in 2024.^{[8, 9]}

Which exporters control the jasmine tier? Asia Golden Rice, CR Asahi, Ponglarp, and CP Intertrade are the consistent TREA top-ranked private exporters. The CP Intertrade Royal Umbrella consumer brand sits at the value end of the chain; the other three are bulk export-trader specialists.^[1]

Executive summary

Thai Hom Mali jasmine rice is the GI-protected premium variety produced primarily in the Thung Kula Rong-Hai plain across Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Surin, Yasothon, and Sisaket provinces. WIPO recognises the GI registration; the certification supports a ~15-20%🔒 premium over ordinary jasmine. 9M🔒 2024 export volume was 1,233,108 tonnes (+9%🔒 YoY) per TREA, with US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, and EU buyers driving demand alongside the China corridor.^{[7, 2]}

China is the largest single corridor for Thai rice in aggregate and the dominant growth corridor for 2025. Nation Thailand reported 2025 Thai jasmine exports at 1.76M🔒 tonnes with China receiving 0.65M🔒 tonnes (+48.95%🔒 YoY). The corridor is sensitive to Chinese sanitary and phytosanitary inspection regimes and to the relative pricing of Vietnamese fragrant rice landing in southern Chinese ports.^[4]

Pricing diverges by tier. Hom Mali averaged USD 935🔒 per tonne in 2024 (+7.59%🔒 YoY); 2025/26 quotes are at USD 1,120🔒 per tonne. Pathum Thani fragrant — the mid-tier — sits at USD 680🔒 per tonne. Vietnamese fragrant rice ranges USD 460-900🔒 per tonne; ST25 in Europe at USD 1,250🔒 per tonne shows Vietnam can also access the premium tier when the variety is right. The structural risk is that ST25 supply scales while Hom Mali yields remain constrained by single-crop GI geography.^{[3, 8, 9]}

Thai jasmine export volume mix (9M 2024, '000 tonnes)

Fragrant-rice price comparison, USD per tonne