Weak demand, increasing supply puts pressure on rice export prices of Asian countries

Photo caption — Workers transport rice at a warehouse in Jalandhar, India. Photo: ANI/TTXVN

* Asian rice market

Asian rice export markets remained quiet this week, with Indian and Vietnamese prices steady, while Thai rates eased slightly due to slowing demand and increased supply from the new harvest.

India’s 5% broken parboiled rice was quoted at $344-$350 a tonne this week, unchanged from last week, while the country’s 5% broken white rice was quoted at $350-$360 a tonne. A Kolkata-based trader said paddy harvesting is going well and supplies are increasing.

Vietnam's 5% broken rice was offered at $415-$430 per ton on November 6, unchanged from a week ago, according to the Vietnam Food Association.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s 5% broken rice was quoted at $338 a tonne on November 6, down slightly from $340 a tonne last week. A Bangkok-based trader said demand for Thai rice was relatively weak, contributing to the slight decline in prices this week. Another trader said supplies remained ample.

Last week, the Thai Cabinet approved a draft agreement with Singapore to sell 100,000 tonnes of rice annually for five years.

* US agricultural market

Soybean prices on the Chicago Board of Trade rose sharply on November 7, after falling sharply in the previous session, as traders assessed the prospect of US soybean exports to China following the trade truce between the two countries.

Soybean prices rose 9.5 cents to close at $11.17 a bushel. Wheat prices fell 7.75 cents to $5.27 a bushel, while corn prices fell 1.5 cents to $4.27 a bushel (1 bushel of wheat/soybean = 27.2 kg; 1 bushel of corn = 25.4 kg).

China has resumed small purchases of US agricultural products, but traders are still waiting for the country to ramp up purchases after the White House said China had committed to buying 12 million tonnes of US soybeans by the end of 2025 and would buy 25 million tonnes a year for the next three years.

Additionally, in a recent interview with Fox Business Network, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said other countries in Southeast Asia have agreed to buy an additional 19 million tonnes of US soybeans, but did not specify a timeframe for these transactions.

Since trade tensions with the US during President Donald Trump’s first term, China has diversified its soybean import sources. Customs data show that by 2024, US supplies will account for only about 20% of China’s soybeans, down from 41% in 2016.

Meanwhile, wheat prices fell as recent US exports to China fell below expectations, with attention returning to large global supplies. China only ordered two cargoes from the US, a few hundred thousand tonnes less than expected.

Wheat prices are facing pressure from accelerating exports from Russia and competition from supplies from the new harvests starting in southern hemisphere exporters Argentina and Australia.

Corn prices were little changed but faced headwinds from larger supplies as the U.S. harvest neared completion.

* World coffee market

In the world, coffee prices on the London and New York exchanges on November 8 turned to increase sharply. Robusta coffee prices on the London exchange for November 2025 delivery increased by 118 USD (equivalent to 2.6%), to 4,662 USD/ton. Robusta coffee prices for January 2026 delivery also increased sharply by 118 USD (2.6%), to 4,648 USD/ton.

Meanwhile, on the New York floor, the price of Arabica coffee for delivery in December 2025 increased by 11.05 US cents (equivalent to 2.79%), to 407.80 cents/lb. The price of Arabica coffee for delivery in March 2026 increased by 6.8 US cents (1.79%), to 385.85 cents/lb (1 lb = 0.4535 kg).

World coffee prices recovered strongly due to concerns about new crop supply from Vietnam due to unfavorable weather conditions in the world's largest robusta exporting country.

Domestically, the coffee market also recovered, with prices fluctuating between 118,000-119,500 VND/kg.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/cau-yeu-cung-tang-gay-suc-ep-len-gia-gao-xuat-khau-cua-cac-nuoc-chau-a-20251108190449225.htm