India
has overtaken Thailand as the biggest
rice supplier of Singapore for the 1st time,
exporting 92,865 tonnes or 32.9 % of the total
rice supply to the island nation in the 1st 8
months of 2013. Thailand shipped 85,816 tonnes or 30.4 %
during January-August. Vietnam supplied 77,459 tonnes or
27.4 % during this period.
Rice
exports to Singapore by India had risen to 29.5 %
last year from 15.3 % in 2009. Thailand has been the leading
rice supplier to Singaporesince 1998 between
1998 and 2011.
“Importers
taking advantage of the lower prices of
Indian rice compared to Thai rice,†said
a Trade and Industry Ministry spokesman.
Other rice
suppliers to Singapore include Myanmar (2.5 %),
Pakistan (2.4 %), United States (2.2 %), Cambodia (0.9 %)
and Australia (0.6 %) as well as others (0.7 %).