Cambodia accused of mislabelling rice as Thai jasmine in China
Most rice is Cambodian, but labels falsely suggest it’s Thai
Cambodia has been accused of falsely labelling its rice as Thai jasmine rice and selling it in China, prompting the Thai Ministry of Commerce to act swiftly.
Yesterday, June 27, Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, revealed that reports from Thai nationals in China indicated Cambodian rice was being sold in Chinese supermarkets with packaging displaying the Thai flag and a mark resembling the official certification for Thai jasmine rice.
This certification, showing a rice ear on a green background, is issued by the Department of Foreign Trade to authenticate the quality of Thai jasmine rice.
Efforts have been made to investigate further, both offline and online, across platforms such as Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo. The findings suggest that the majority of the rice originates from Cambodia, with Chinese characters translating to “Cambodian jasmine rice.”
However, some brands misleadingly use Thai language labelling, stating either “Thai jasmine rice” or “Cambodian jasmine rice,” which could confuse Chinese consumers into believing the rice is imported from Thailand or is genuine Thai jasmine rice. This situation potentially harms the image and market confidence in Thai jasmine rice within China.
Sunanta stated that the department has instructed the seven offices of the International Trade Promotion Department in China, located in Chengdu, Kunming, Nanning, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shanghai, and Qingdao, to implement four key measures. These include discussions with Thai jasmine rice importers and online platforms to halt the sale of incorrectly packaged rice and to ensure accurate labelling.
They also aim to promote the official Thai jasmine rice certification, emphasising its distinctive “rice ear on a green background” design, issued by the Department of Foreign Trade.
Further measures involve coordinating with the commercial office in Beijing to consult with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) to push for control over products that may cause consumer misunderstandings. Legal actions are being considered against offenders for false advertising, consumer rights violations, and breaches of product quality laws, in collaboration with local authorities, the China Consumers Association, and marketing offices in China, reported KhaoSod.
The department is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to collaborating with all relevant networks to protect the reputation of Thai jasmine rice and maintain consumer confidence in international markets.
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