The Thai government said it could start shipping rice from its huge stockpiles to China by early 2014 under an agreement covering the sale of one million tonnes per year made during a visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Bangkok last weekend.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Sunday that China would support plans by domestic firms to buy a million tonnes a year for an indefinite period, an increase on an earlier commitment to take the same volume over five years.

Traders had reacted with some scepticism because they have seen no evidence to back up earlier government claims to have sold significant amounts to China and other countries.

"We (Chinese and Thai officials) will work out the details by November and I think we could start shipping the first lot of rice to China by early next year," Thai Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan told reporters on Tuesday.