Commerce Ministry eyes organic agriculture boost

BANGKOK, 3 February 2010 (NNT) – The Organic Symposium has been launched to enhance Thailand’s organic agriculture.

Commerce Minister, Pornthiva Nakasai, today presided over the launch of the 2010 Organic Symposium, which has gathered over 180 organic farming businesses to display their products at the event. The selected organic community was lauded and will be practically applied in every province in the Kingdom.

The event has also provided organic vegetables, fruits, rice, drinks as well as other non-eatable products including cotton-made cloth and cotton sheets, cosmetics and spa therapy products.

A seminar on organic agriculture between the six countries of the Mekong region and Australia took place in a bid to conduct exceptional organic measures within countries and create understanding among producers and sellers. An international organic agriculture network will be created as a result.

The organic agriculture has been cited as the world’s fastest growing industrial sector. The total market value is expected to be worth 100 billion USD. 50% of the total market share was claimed in the EU region, while 45% covers the US market. Organic food and goods are also popular in Japan, Australia and others countries. Domestic organic consumption value was reported at three billion THB a year.