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Published on August 16, 2007

Deputy director-general Ittipol Changlum yesterday said the department would firstly standardise the certification system for rice, of which Thailand is the world's biggest exporter. Later, the focus will be on tapioca, maize, tuna and jewellery.

At this stage 80 product lists need to be certified for either agricultural or industrial quality by the department. However, the existing certification system takes a long time due to complicated processes and duplicated tasks. As a result, the department wants to shorten the time and decrease operating costs for both itself and exporters.

Ittipol said the department was conducting a survey amongst exporters and concerned agencies about their needs. The survey will be completed in a couple of weeks to ensure implementation in the next few months.

If an efficient certification system is introduced, the department will consider extending the period to apply for certification from an annual requirement to every two years.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation