Thai food producers should consider more investment in organic products to meet high world demand, say Mr Yutthasek Supasorn, the director of the Nation Food Institute (NFI).

The market vakue of global organic food industry will hit 2.2 trillion bath [US$ ,,,] in 2012, a 53.6% increase from 2007, according to the NFI.

In 2006, Thailand’s organic food industry was worth 947 million baht with 45% serving the export market.

“Local operators have the ability to have more profit from this trend by investing more in developing a process to produce organic food, Mr Yutthasek Supasorn said.

However, most organic products exported from Thailand are non-processed farm goods such as rice, herbs, fruits and vegetables.

“Instead of focusing on labour-intensive and inexpensive raw material products, we should expand more product lines in processed organic food to add more value, Mr. Yutthasek Supasorn added.

Europe is the biggest organic food market, consuming 51.4% of world demand, followed by the United States with 44.6%.

Bangkok Post, 11.07.2008

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