Rice export prices extended its upward trend in India on a stronger rupee, while Vietnam rates were stable amid a subtle market on low demand. India’s 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices RI-INBKN5-P1 rose by $7 per tonne to between $382 and $387 a tonne this week, as gains in the rupee forced exporters to raise prices despite sluggish demand. India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, mainly exports non-basmati rice to African countries and premier basmati rice to the Middle East. Its rice output could rise by 4.3 percent to a record high of 108.86 million tonnes in 2016/17. In Vietnam, the world’s third-largest rice exporter, market was quiet on low demand and unattractive rice prices amid worries over rainfall affecting grain quality. Abnormal rain in some harvesting areas has affected rice quality, but not too seriously. Vietnam’s rice exports are expected to plunge 23.9 percent annually to 1.19 million tonnes in the first quarter, after the grain shipments dropped 26.5 percent in 2016 due to lower output caused by climate changes. Thai benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 was quoted at $350-$365 a tonne free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok on previous close.