Rice from Thailand has become very popular at public auctions in Korea. Korea has imported 1,000 tons of Thai rice this year, following imports of 3,000 tons last year. Thai rice allotments were completely sold out at seven public rice auctions by the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation. On Monday, another allotment of 50 tons of Thai rice was sold out.

Compared with Chinese rice which usually only sells 30 percent of its allotments at public actions, Thai rice is enjoying great popularity. Subsequently, its price is going up. Last year Thai rice cost W500 (US$1=W925) per kilogram, while this year it costs W1,000. Although it's still cheaper than domestic rice at W1,900 or Chinese rice at W1,300, its price has doubled over the past year.

The key to its popularity in Korea is immigrant workers from Southeast Asia. An auction official said workers from Southeast Asia come to buy Thai rice in Ansan, Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province and Kuro Industrial Complex in Seoul. "Migrant workers like the taste of Thai rice -- they seem to cure their homesickness by eating rice from their homeland," a retailer said. Thai rice is not sticky and its grains don't stick together.

Despite the high number of Chinese workers living in Korea, Chinese rice is less popular at auctions. That's mainly because Chinese rice tastes similar to domestic rice and it's imported in larger quantities with 2,315 tons expected this year. Last year’s Chinese rice is also said to be less tasty after a poor harvest.

(englishnews@chosun.com )