BANGKOK, THAILAND — Thailand is expected to have a larger rice harvest than the previous year, but exports are still forecast to drop, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Thailand’s rice production in the 2020-21 marketing year is forecast to total 18.6 million tonnes, up 5% compared with the 2019-20 marketing year. Despite a steady production, exports are expected to fall to a record low in 2020 to 5.7 million tonnes, down 25% from 2019. The USDA expects rice exports to increase to 7 million tonnes in 2021, which is still below average rice exports over the past five years.

The country’s corn production in the 2020-21 marketing year is expected to increase 24% compared with the previous marketing year, to 5.6 million tonnes. The USDA anticipates increased acreage and favorable weather conditions to boost output.

Thailand’s wheat imports declined as the USDA does not expect domestic consumption of wheat-based foods to recover in the 2020-21 marketing year. Wheat imports are projected to decrease 14% in the 2020-21 marketing year to 3 million tonnes. Milling wheat imports are also forecast to drop, about 9%, to 1.2 million tonnes.