Higher quality to help boost Thai food exports

BANGKOK, June 7 (TNA) - As consumers are becoming more concerned over the quality of food, Thai food producers and exporters are suggested to further upgrade their food quality to boost their exports to overseas markets. Duenden Nikomborirak, Director of Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), told a seminar in Bangkok on Tuesday although Thailand has exported food products to several countries, local food manufacturers still need to further upgrade the quality of their products, as several major importing markets, including the United States and the European Union (EU) now stipulate that food exporters must specify details on the sources of their products from the beginning to the end of their exporting procedures. Duenden cautioned that Thai food exporters could lose their overseas markets if they failed to adjust themselves to the changing situation. Echoing similar views, Paiboon Ponsuwanna, an adviser of the Thai National Shippers’ Council, noted that Thailand exported food products, worth more than 1.1 trillion baht, last year, a high level but a moderate growth over the past few years. Paiboon attributed the moderate growth of Thai food exports to strict measures imposed by several major food importing countries, namely conditions under which food exporters must employ workers in line with international standards and have sufficient raw materials for their production. Besides, consumption behaviours of people all over the world have changed as increasing consumers are more concerned over their good health. Paiboon, thus, suggested as well that Thai food producers and exporters further upgrade their production to meet highest international standards, while calling on the Thai government to implement clear and consistent policies on overseeing the Thai food industry to build up confidence in the Thai industry among trading partners. (TNA)