Thai Govt to Invest over 10 Billion baht to Promote Halal Food

BANGKOK, February 28 (TNA) - The Thai government will invest nearly 11 billion baht aimed at promoting Thai halal goods products and raise the country’s export ranking to one of the top five halal food and products exporters in the world within five years, starting from 2016, said Arthit Wuthikoro, director-general of Industry Ministry’s Department of Industrial Promotion. Mr. Arthit said a committee meeting, held at the Government House and chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mom Luang Pridiyathorn Devakula on Friday, agreed that the government would invest 10.93 billion baht on promoting and developing halal food products including cosmetics, pharmaceutical and herbal products to meet international standards. Under the agreement, the promotion and development of halal food will be divided into four strategies covering 77 projects, said Mr. Arthit. The strategies are raising quality and certificate standards, boosting goods production and services, developing marketing standard, and developing research and development for halal food so that Thai halal food would be recognised in the overseas, he said. Currently, Thailand is the world’s 13th largest halal food exporter, Mr. Arthit added. (TNA)