Iraq tops markets for Thai rice imports in 2025

Shafaq News– Bangkok

Iraq imported 95,000 metric tons of rice from Thailand during the first 11 months of 2025, making it the largest destination for the country’s rice exports over that period, the Thai Department of Foreign Trade said on Saturday.

Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the department, noted that total Thai rice exports in 2025 are expected to range between 7.8 and 8 million tons, exceeding earlier targets. She attributed the increase to stronger demand in the final months of the year and ample supply from the main harvest season.

She added that the global rice market continues to face pressure from oversupply, particularly after India released large volumes from its reserves, a move that has weighed on international prices.

Thailand exported 7.29 million tons of rice between January and November 2025, marking a 21 percent decline year-on-year. Export revenues also fell by 30 percent over the same period to $4.162B.

Read more:Water scarcity forces Iraq to limit rice farming