Thailand to establish institute for promoting innovative rice products

BANGKOK, January 10 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Commerce, will establish a new institute for promoting innovative rice products with added-values for exports to the world market. Permanent Secretary for Commerce Wiboonlak Ruamrak told journalists on January 9 that her ministry is speeding up establishing the new institute to be tasked with promoting research and development (R&D) of Thailand's innovative rice products, namely spaghetti produced from locally-grown brown and red rice, to reduce exports of unprocessed Thai grains traditionally but increase those of processed Thai grains with more added-values. Wiboonlak said innovative Thai rice products are expected to boost the country's exports of grains in processed items alone to 10 million tons, excluding exports of unprocessed Thai rice in sacks traditionally. Besides, the Ministry of Commerce plans to further develop Thailand's central rice market by linking it operational systems, namely a rice bidding mechanism, with those of local farmers' institutions, rice mills, local traders, exporters and importers. According to the senior official, the newly-established institute should help upgrade Thailand's status from being among world top exporters of unprocessed rice to being among global top exporters of innovative rice products in the future. Presently, India is the world's top exporter of unprocessed rice, at about 10.20 million tons, followed by Thailand at 9.63 million tons and Vietnam at 5.87 million tons respectively. (TNA)