BANGKOK, April 25 (Reuters) - Thailand exported about 3.06 million metric tons of rice from Jan. 1 to April 24, up 23.4% from the same period a year earlier, with Indonesia the biggest buyer, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.
The value of rice exports in the period jumped about 54% from a year earlier, the ministry said in a statement.
Of the volume record, Indonesia bought 680,099 metric tons, followed by Iraq with 353,100 metric tons and South Africa with 216,050 tons, the ministry said. The ministry reiterated that if Thai rice remained competitive and in demand, overall exports of the grain this year could exceed a target of 7.5 million metric tons.
Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter after India. (Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Martin Petty)
