Thai expo shows off organic products
THE Organic & Natural Expo 2017 (ONE 2017) opened in Bangkok on Thursday with nearly 250 Thai organic manufacturers and entrepreneurs showcasing Thailand’s potential to become Asean’s manufacturing and trading hub for organic products.
The expo, which ran from July 27 through yesterday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center was organised by the Ministry of Commerce via the Department of Internal Trade.
According to Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, the event featured 248 manufacturers and entrepreneurs who have been certified based on national or international standards for organic farming and natural products.
The expo is a key forum to showcase Thailand’s potential to become the organic manufacturing and trading hub of the Asean region. Embracing the theme Asean: Home of Organic, the expo takes Thailand-based organic fairs to a new level and presents the country as a base for international organic fairs.
The Director General of the Department of Internal Trade of Thailand, Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, said, “The Organic & Natural Expo 2017 is the biggest organic and natural fair in not just Thailand but also the Asean region. Featuring the greatest range of Thai organic products, it is really the biggest organic market.
“The expo is held just once a year, especially for organic manufacturers and consumers, particularly health-conscious people who know about organic benefits, and it also contributes to the establishment of the Asean Organic Federation.”
“The Ministry of Commerce has already invited organic entrepreneurs from other Asean nations to attend the federation’s meeting, which is co-organised by the Thai Organic Trade Association and the ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office, during the expo. They are also invited to attend business-matching sessions with Thai entrepreneurs and exhibition of products at the Organic Asean Pavilion.”
Referring to the global market for organic products, Nuntawan said there were opportunities aplenty. “Today, people pay more attention to their health as consumers’ awareness of dangers from leftover chemicals has grown. Organic products therefore have caught on among an increasing number of people. As organic products have become a global trend, it is estimated that the world’s organic market will be worth up to $80 billion or 2.95 trillion baht in the future, growing by the average rate of 20 percent a year.”
Major markets for organic products are the United States and Canada, which have a value of about $40 billion, Europe, which has a market value of around $20 billion to $30 billion, and other markets including Asia, China, and Australia, which together are valued at more than $8 billion.
In the Asean region, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand are key markets. The Thai organic market is worth about 2.73 billion baht. Thai organic exports, valued at about 1billion baht, enjoy an annual growth rate of approximately 10 percent, she said.