• 
• 

Published on January 11, 2008

The ministry reported that exports of organic foods had risen 5 per cent to Bt500 million last year.

Siripol said the value of organic exports was still low, compared to total food exports of Bt100 billion per year.

"The government will try to boost the production and export of organic farm goods, as they have gained a good response from consumers," he said.

The Kingdom's total value of organic farm products reached Bt1 billion last year, 50 per cent from exports.

The ministry will cooperate with the Interior Ministry and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry and Surin province to set up a Commerce Intelligence Centre of Organic Farms.

The centre will increase understanding of farm-goods production, and suggest that farmers, processors and exporters produce organic goods based on accepted high-level standards. The centre will also help expand the market for Thai organic foods to the international arena.

The government will up the plantation area of organic products from 140,000 to 200,000 rai next year.

Thai Organic Trade Association president Wanlop Pichpongsa said the country had a high potential to boost exports of organic foods, as there is great demand in world markets. Markets of particular interest are the United States, the European Union, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, China and the United Arab Emirates.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

 The Nation