Challenges and opportunities in Thai rice exports to China: A case study of Infotax Survey Partnership Limited
Keywords:
Parboiled Rice, Chinese regulations, Competitive AdvantagesAbstract
The objectives of this research were: 1) To examine and analyze the detailed value chain activities involved in Infotax Survey Partnership Limited’s rice export operations to the Chinese market. 2) To identify specific challenges faced by Infotax Survey Partnership Limited in its rice export processes and interactions with stakeholders within the export value chain. 3) To propose targeted value chain optimization strategies aimed at enhancing Infotax Survey Partnership Limited’s competitive advantages in the Chinese market.
The study utilized in-depth interviews with a sample group of five respondents who worked at Infotax Survey Partnership Limited. The results of the study indicate the following key findings: (1) Most respondents were male and held positions as business owners or managers in logistics, quality control, and sales, with experience ranging from 8 to over 20 years. (2) Key factors for a successful export operation include effective quality control and timely documentation, which encompasses the Letter of Intent (LOI), Full Corporate Offer (FCO), Full Corporate Agreement (FCA), and various types of Letters of Credit (LC), including Standby Letters of Credit (SBLC) and Red Cross Letters of Credit (RXLC). (3) Challenges such as quality assurance issues, logistical disruptions, port congestion, limited sub-port capacity, and compliance with evolving international and Chinese regulations were identified. (4) Rice exporters are focusing on maintaining competitive pricing, utilizing innovative processing techniques, offering flexible packaging options, and ensuring the availability of high-quality rice, such as parboiled rice, to meet consumer demand while enhancing logistics networks to reduce transportation costs and time. (5) The future focus should be on adopting innovative processing technologies to improve product quality, optimizing logistical networks to minimize transportation time and costs, and further strengthening quality control while expanding buyer relationships. These efforts are expected to reinforce competitive advantages in the Chinese market.
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