The price of rice in the world market is likely to keep rising, especially the rice from Thailand, which is expected to reach 1000 dollars per ton by the end of this year.
The Research Center for Thai Farmers Bank said the price of Jasmine rice is rising from 650 dollars per ton in January to more than 700 dollars per ton in March and around 800 dollars per ton in April
The goverments of India, Pakistan and the Philippines recently said they will crack down on the hoarding of essential commodities, especially rice.
Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, also sought to reassure domestic consumers that the country has ample reserves and assured the nation there is no need for panic. India and Vietnam, among the biggest rice-producing countries, have cut down their rice exports. Severe weather conditions in some rice growing regions have caused global shortages and soaring prices.
For Laos, even though the government reported that the country produced more than 2.7 million tons of rice in 2007 but the people in remote mountainous areas, especially the Lao-Soung and Lao-Theung tribes, still do not have enough rice to eat for an average period of about five months a year.
To solve this problem, rice has to be sent to the shortage areas, but Laos still lack infra-structure. That and high fuel price make transportation almost impossible. Lao officials said they are trying to set up comprehensive agriculture production centers instead in the shortage areas.
The Lao government said its goal for 2010 is to produce around 3.3 million tons of rice.
Listen to our Laos Today freport for more details in Lao.