TUNA 2016 Bangkok expected to boost world tuna trade

BANGKOK, May 24 (TNA) - The 14th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and Exhibition (TUNA 2016 Bangkok) is being held in the Thai capital during May 23-25, aimed to help boost world tuna trade. Chairing the opening session of the three-day conference on May 23, Assistant Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Rapeepat Chantarasriwong said that the tuna industry is important to the Thai economy, with canned tuna exports reaching 550 billion tonnes, worth about 2.14 billion US dollars, in 2015, after their exports accounting for 39 per cent of overall world tuna exports in 2014. Besides, Rapeepat noted, Thailand is the world's top importer of frozen tuna, with its imports reaching 671.63 billion tonnes in 2015, accounting for 43 per cent of the world's overall frozen tuna imports. According to the senior official, Thailand imports the frozen tuna from Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, the United States, Kiribati, China and Indonesia for processing into canned tuna. Meanwhile, more than 600 participants from 60 countries worldwide participate in the ongoing TUNA 2016 Bangkok. (TNA)