Our Thai rice minimum order quantity is one 20 foot container, which holds about 25 metric tons of rice in 25kg or 50kg bags. That one container can be a single grade, or a mix of up to four of our rices, so a first order doesn’t have to be a big gamble. We sell and ship worldwide, and we’ll quote FOB, CFR or CIF to your port.
That’s the short answer. The longer one depends on what you’re buying, how it’s packed and where it’s going, and that’s what this page is about. We’ll go through the Thai rice minimum order quantity for each product we sell, why the minimum is set where it is, the ways to buy less if you need to, and how to plan a first order so it doesn’t cost you more than it should.
Table of Contents
Thai Rice Minimum Order Quantity: The Quick Answer
Here’s our standard Thai rice minimum order quantity by product. These are the numbers we use on offers, and they apply to buyers in any country.
| Product | Minimum order | Typical packing |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Hom Mali rice | 1 x 20ft container (about 25 MT) | 5kg, 10kg, 25kg, 50kg, 50 lb |
| Thai jasmine rice (Pathumthani) | 1 x 20ft container | 5kg to 50kg |
| Organic jasmine rice | 1 x 20ft container, mixed allowed | 1kg to 25kg |
| Thai white rice 5% to 25% broken | 1 x 20ft container | 25kg, 50kg |
| Thai parboiled rice | 1 x 20ft container | 25kg, 50kg |
| Thai glutinous rice | 1 x 20ft container, mixed allowed | 1kg to 50kg |
| Thai red cargo rice | Mixed container, from about 5 MT | 1kg to 25kg |
| 100% broken rice | 1 x 20ft container | 50kg, jumbo bags |
For large government and tender buyers we also load break bulk vessels, usually from 5,000 tons up. But the vast majority of what we sell goes in containers, and one container is where most new relationships start.
Why the Thai Rice Minimum Order Quantity Is One Container
People sometimes ask why we don’t just sell five tons, or one pallet. We can in some cases, and we’ll get to that. But a full container as the Thai rice minimum order quantity isn’t us being difficult. It comes down to how rice export actually works.
Freight is priced per container
Shipping lines charge per box, not per ton. A 20 foot container to Lagos, Jeddah or Rotterdam costs roughly the same whether it carries 10 tons or 25. Spread the freight over a full load and the cost per ton drops a lot. Fill it halfway and you’ve doubled your freight per ton without anyone noticing until the invoice arrives.
Export paperwork costs the same for any size
Every shipment needs a phytosanitary certificate, fumigation, a certificate of origin, a bill of lading and usually an inspection. Those fees are mostly fixed. On 25 tons they’re a small part of the price. On 3 tons they hurt. Our post on rice export documents lists all of them.
Milling runs in batches
We mill, sort and bag in runs. Setting up a line for a particular grade and bag size takes time, and a full container is roughly the smallest batch that makes sense. Small runs mean more cleaning between grades and more waste.
Fumigation and inspection are per container
Rice is fumigated inside the sealed container before it sails. An independent surveyor samples and inspects at loading. Both are charged per container, so again, a full one is the cheapest way to get your rice checked and protected.
Put all of that together and the Thai rice minimum order quantity of one container is simply the point where the price per ton stops being silly. It’s the same reason most Thai exporters land on the same number.
How Many Tons Is One Container?
A 20 foot container takes about 25 metric tons of rice when it’s packed in 25kg or 50kg bags. That’s 500 bags of 50kg or 1,000 bags of 25kg. Most shipping lines cap the weight at around 25 to 26 tons for a 20 footer, so that’s the practical limit.
Retail packs change the numbers. If you’re buying 1kg, 2kg or 5kg bags packed into master bags or cartons, the extra packaging takes up room and weight, so a container usually holds somewhat less rice, often 18 to 22 tons depending on the pack.
A 40 foot container doesn’t carry double the weight. Because of road and shipping limits, a 40 footer with rice usually carries about the same 25 to 27 tons, just with more space. It’s mainly useful for lighter, bulkier retail packs. We go through all of this in our post on how many tons of rice fit in a 20ft container.
So when we say the Thai rice minimum order quantity is one container, think 25 tons for bulk bags and a bit less for small retail packs.
Mixed Containers: Buying Less of Each Product
This is the part most new buyers don’t know about. You don’t have to fill a container with one rice. We’ll load a mixed container with up to four products, which means your Thai rice minimum order quantity per product can be much lower than 25 tons.
A typical first order from a distributor might look like this:
| Product | Packing | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Hom Mali rice | 5kg retail bags | 8 MT |
| Thai jasmine rice | 25kg bags | 8 MT |
| Thai glutinous rice | 25kg bags | 5 MT |
| Thai red cargo rice | 1kg bags | 4 MT |
That’s 25 tons, one container, four products. It lets you test which rice sells in your market before you commit to full containers of any one grade, while still meeting the Thai rice minimum order quantity.
For mixed loads, we ask for at least about 5 tons per product and per bag size. Below that, the time spent switching the line for each item starts to cost more than it’s worth, and we’d rather tell you honestly than add a hidden surcharge.
Thai Rice Minimum Order Quantity for Private Label
If you want rice packed under your own brand, the Thai rice minimum order quantity is still one container, but there are a couple of extra points.
Printed bags need printing cylinders or plates made for your design. That’s a one-off cost on the first order, and it takes a couple of weeks. The bag printer also has its own minimum, which is usually around the number of bags in one container for each design and size. So if you want three different bag sizes printed, it makes sense to order enough of each to use up a print run.
On repeat orders the cylinders are already made, so it’s quicker and the cost is lower, and the Thai rice minimum order quantity for each design is easy to hit. A lot of our buyers start with plain bags or our own brands for the first container, then move to their own label once they know the rice sells. Our page on private label Thai Hom Mali rice explains the whole process with bag options.
Can You Buy Less Than a Container?
Sometimes, yes. Here are the honest options if the standard Thai rice minimum order quantity is more than you need right now.
Samples
We send samples of any rice by courier, usually 1kg to 5kg. That’s how almost every buyer starts. Samples are for testing quality, cooking and your lab checks, not for resale.
Trial shipment, less than container (LCL)
For retail packs, we can sometimes ship from about 5 tons as a part load (LCL), sharing container space with other cargo. It works, but freight and handling per ton are much higher than a full container, and transit can take longer because the cargo is consolidated and split at both ends. We’ll show you both prices side by side so you can see the difference.
Pallets by air
For high value rice like organic jasmine, a few pallets can go by air. It’s expensive and only makes sense for small trial runs or urgent restocking.
Share a container with another buyer
Some of our customers in the same city split a container between them. We invoice each buyer separately if you arrange it. This needs both buyers to be ready at the same time, which doesn’t always happen, but when it does it’s a good way round the Thai rice minimum order quantity.
How the Minimum Affects Your Price
A buyer once asked us why the price per ton on a 5 ton order was so much higher than on a 25 ton order of the same rice. The rice price was identical. Everything else was the difference.
Here’s roughly how the costs split on a CIF order:
| Cost | Full container (25 MT) | Part load (5 MT) |
|---|---|---|
| Rice and packing | Same per ton | Same per ton |
| Ocean freight | Spread over 25 tons | Higher per ton, LCL rates |
| Documents and certificates | Spread over 25 tons | Spread over 5 tons |
| Fumigation and inspection | Spread over 25 tons | Spread over 5 tons, or charged per lot |
| Destination handling | Lower per ton | Higher per ton |
The Thai rice minimum order quantity of one container is where the fixed costs per ton bottom out. Above one container, prices per ton can fall a little more on big orders, mainly through better freight rates and because we can plan milling runs.
For more on how FOB and CIF quotes are built, see our guide to FOB vs CIF rice price. The ICC Incoterms rules are the official reference if you want the exact definitions.
Planning Your First Order
If this is your first time buying from Thailand, here’s how we’d suggest using the Thai rice minimum order quantity to your advantage.
- Ask for samples of two or three rices. Cook them, show them to a few customers, and see which one gets the best reaction.
- Work out your monthly sales. A container of 25 tons is 1,000 bags of 25kg. If you sell 200 bags a month, that’s five months of stock. Make sure you have the storage and the cash flow.
- Consider a mixed container. Cover your best seller with most of the load and test one or two others with the rest.
- Choose the right bag size for your market. Shops want 5kg and 10kg. Restaurants and wholesalers want 25kg and 50kg.
- Check your import rules. Some countries need import permits, special labelling or pre-shipment inspection. Our guide on how to import rice from Thailand covers the general steps.
- Agree the spec in writing. Broken percentage, moisture, purity and packing should all be on the contract.
Buyers who treat the Thai rice minimum order quantity as a planning tool rather than a hurdle usually move to regular containers quite quickly, because they’re not left sitting on rice that doesn’t sell.
What the Minimum Looks Like for Different Buyers
The Thai rice minimum order quantity is the same on paper for everyone, but in practice it plays out differently depending on what kind of business you run.
Supermarket and retail chains
Chains usually want rice in 1kg, 2kg and 5kg bags with their own label. A container of retail packs holds less rice by weight, often around 20 tons, but it can cover several months of shelf stock across many stores. Most chains start with a mixed container of two or three rices so they can see what moves.
Wholesalers and distributors
This is where the Thai rice minimum order quantity fits most naturally. A distributor selling 25kg and 50kg bags to shops and restaurants can usually move a full container of one grade in a few weeks. Many of our distributors take two to four containers a month once things are running.
Restaurant groups and caterers
A single restaurant won’t get through 25 tons (see our guide to bulk jasmine rice for restaurants), but a group of restaurants or a catering company often will. We suggest they buy through a local importer or team up with one, or take a mixed container covering jasmine rice, glutinous rice and a white rice for staff meals.
Food manufacturers
Factories making rice flour, snacks, noodles or ready meals usually buy one grade in 50kg bags or jumbo bags. For them the Thai rice minimum order quantity is rarely an issue, because their monthly use is often several containers.
Government and aid buyers
Tender buyers work in thousands of tons, either in containers or in break bulk vessels. The minimum order is set by the tender, not by us.
How Long Does an Order Take?
Once the contract is signed and payment or the letter of credit is in place, a standard order at our Thai rice minimum order quantity of one container usually ships in 15 to 30 days.
- Plain bags, stock grades: often 10 to 15 days
- Printed bags, repeat design: about 15 to 20 days
- New private label design: 25 to 35 days, because of cylinder making
- Organic or special grades: depends on stock, we’ll confirm when we quote
Transit time after that depends on your port. Asia is often one to two weeks. The Middle East is around two to three weeks. West Africa, Europe and the Americas can be four to six weeks.
Payment Terms for Container Orders
For orders at or above the Thai rice minimum order quantity, we accept:
- Irrevocable letter of credit at sight, from a bank we can work with
- Telegraphic transfer with a deposit (usually 30%) and the balance against scanned shipping documents
- For long-standing buyers, other terms by agreement
We don’t ask new buyers to pay 100% up front before anything is milled. A deposit and balance against documents protects both sides. Our step by step post on Thai Hom Mali rice bulk and container supply shows how a typical container contract runs from start to finish.
Thai Rice Minimum Order Quantity Compared With Other Origins
Buyers often compare us with suppliers in Vietnam, India and Pakistan. In our experience, the Thai rice minimum order quantity is about the same as everywhere else: one container is the industry norm for export rice.
Where suppliers do differ is in how flexible they are about mixed containers and small private label runs. Some mills will only load one grade per container. Some won’t print bags under a very large quantity. Before you compare prices, check that you’re comparing the same minimum and the same flexibility, or the cheapest offer can turn out to be the most expensive once you add storage for rice you didn’t need.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association publishes weekly reference prices for the main Thai grades, which is a useful sanity check on any offer you get.
One last practical point. When you work out whether the Thai rice minimum order quantity suits you, count the full landed cost, not just the price per ton on our offer. Add freight, insurance, port charges, duty, clearance and the cost of moving the rice to your warehouse. Then divide by the tons you actually receive. That number is the one to compare with local suppliers, and it is usually where a full container shows its real advantage.
Questions Buyers Ask About Our Minimum Order
What is your Thai rice minimum order quantity?
One 20 foot container, about 25 metric tons in bulk bags. It can be one product or a mix of up to four.
Can I order 10 tons?
As part of a mixed container, yes. As a standalone part load, sometimes, for retail packs. It costs more per ton because of freight and fixed fees, and we’ll show you the numbers so you can decide.
Is the Thai rice minimum order quantity the same for every country?
Yes. We ship worldwide on the same basis. What changes from country to country is freight, documents and import rules, not the minimum itself.
Does the minimum change for private label?
The Thai rice minimum order quantity stays at one container, but the first order with a new printed design takes longer and carries a one-off printing setup cost.
Do you sell to retail customers?
We sell to businesses: importers, wholesalers, distributors, supermarkets, restaurant groups and food manufacturers. If you’re a household buyer, a local importer of Thai rice is the best place to buy.
Can I mix bag sizes in my minimum order?
Yes. Within one container you can have different products and different bag sizes, as long as each item is around 5 tons or more. That’s the easiest way to stay inside the Thai rice minimum order quantity without overstocking any one line.
Can I visit the mill before ordering?
Yes. Buyers are welcome at our mill in Chachengsao, about an hour from Bangkok. Let us know your dates.
What happens if the rice doesn’t match the spec?
That’s what the inspection at loading is for. If an independent surveyor finds the rice off spec, it doesn’t ship until it’s fixed. We also keep a retained sample from every lot.
Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Container
We see a few things go wrong with new buyers, and almost all of them are avoidable:
- Ordering a full container of one grade without testing the market first. Use a mixed container instead.
- Forgetting about storage. 25 tons of rice needs a dry, cool, pest-free warehouse.
- Underestimating clearance time and fees at your port.
- Printing a lot of different bag designs before you know which rice sells.
- Choosing the cheapest offer without checking that the minimum, the spec and the packing are the same as everyone else’s.
Getting these right matters more than shaving a few dollars off the price.
Order From a Thai Rice Mill
We’re De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited, a rice miller and exporter in Chachengsao, Thailand. We sell Thai Hom Mali rice wholesale, jasmine rice, white rice in every broken grade, parboiled, glutinous and red cargo rice, shipped worldwide in containers.
We’ve been loading containers for importers on every continent for years, and we’re happy to help a first-time buyer work out the right mix rather than push the biggest order we can. If our Thai rice minimum order quantity works for you, send us the products you want, the bag sizes, the quantity of each, and your destination port. We’ll put together an offer, suggest a container mix if it helps, and send samples.
Email info@dethairice.com, WhatsApp +66 81 034 6390, or use our contact page.
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