ACFS pushes for higher levels of organic farming

[webfact]

ACFS pushes for higher levels of organic farming

By THE NATION

 

 

The National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) has introduced a brand new online-marketing channel for young producers focusing on organic farming, which is aimed at helping them expand their clean food business and catch up with the increasing value of organic products, which is growing by 20 per cent every year.

 

ACFS secretary-general Juadee Pongmaneerat notes that young smart famers have an important role to play in helping government meet its goals of expanding the organic market, as set out in the 20-year national strategic plan 2018-2037. This involves creating awareness about the food safety system among both food producers and consumers while guiding farmers to ensure their products meet health standards.

 

The office’s newly developed website DGTFarm.comserves as an online marketplace and is open to young farmers to place any of their products provided these are 100-per-cent organically produced. A Business Matching option is also featured while the QR Trace helps buyers access product information.

 

Safe food and organic products will be exhibited and farmers encouraged to adopt new marketing channels for organic produce. 

 

“This year, we expect to train 189 young smart farmers who have expressed interest in organic farming. We are confident that our efforts will increase the number of organic plantations,” Juadee said.

 

According to the Department of Internal Trade, there are 40,774 farmers in 119 groups certified by organic farming standards cultivating more than 521,826.56 rai. The Ministry of Commerce’s Organic Marketing Intelligence Center reports the value of domestic organic farming products at Bt3 billion baht, with Bt900 million coming from the domestic market. The growth rate is 10 per cent per year and the value of exports represents 0.06 per cent of the global value.

 

It is estimated that the global organic farming products could reach U$104 billion, or Bt3.55 trillion, and enjoy a growth rate of 20 per cent per year. The main markets dominating the global organic farming market are the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Australia. 

 

Juadee adds that organic produce remains the choice of a niche market which regards health as the main priority and says this is growing rapidly.

 

Organic farming is a platform for agricultural sustainability and generates more income and thus raises the living standards of farmers.

 

To respond the global trend of healthcare and to elevate produce to organic standard and GAP (Good Agricultural Practice), DGTFarm.com categorises the products into three types. They are organic produce, which is planted in land free from chemical and toxins such as vegetables, fruits, rice and processed food. Group 2 comprises products certified by GAP like vegetables, fruits, rice, egg, processed food, livestock and fishery products, including banana soap from Kamphaengphet province. Finally, the products with QR Trace identifies the source through a QR code attached to the products and include rice, eggs, vegetables, fruits, processed food and herbal cosmetics from Ratchaburi province.

 

Currently 1,600 farmers who have attained organic and GMP standards are active on the online marketplace.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30374618

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-12

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[ThaiBunny]

For all those suckers who believe that the principles of homeopathy apply equally to agriculture (both are equally ineffective)

[canopy]

The problem is the existing organic farmers have been caught cheating using high levels of poisons over and over. Before expanding the program they need to figure out how to fix this problem, implement it, and prove it is effective. As a consumer I don't trust the organic labels due to the rampant cheating. I wish they would get more serious about this problem so I could.

 

[ThaiBunny]

I'm a great believer in buying up any old tat and passing it off as "organic"

[jaltsc]

 

"ACFS secretary-general Juadee Pongmaneerat notes that young smart famers have an important role to play in helping government meet its goals of expanding the organic market..."

 

Each country has its own standards in the certifying of produce as "Organic". Below is an example of one western country. Seriously, does anyone believe that these standards will be adhered to in Thailand, and that there won't be payoffs in order to label chemical laden crops as "Organic"?

 

 

"Farmers must be able to prove that no prohibited substances, such as synthetic fertilizers, sewage solids, insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides, have been applied to the land and that no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been grown during the previous three years. If that is not the case, the farm will remain uncertified until the full 36 month waiting period has been satisfied. This waiting period is important as many synthetic substances remain in the soil and in perennial plants for months or even years, and may end up in the food being harvested during that period. After 12 months of qualifying waiting period, farmers may soon be able to market their products as “transitional,” signifying they are meeting all the requirements for certification except the time since last prohibited substance use. 

To maintain organic certification, every certified organic farm or facility must go through a review and inspection process every year. They must keep good records, and have those records available for inspectors."

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, canopy said:

The problem is the existing organic farmers have been caught cheating using high levels of poisons over and over. Before expanding the program they need to figure out how to fix this problem, implement it, and prove it is effective. As a consumer I don't trust the organic labels due to the rampant cheating. I wish they would get more serious about this problem so I could.

 

 

That's the problem... The various Thai-based "organic" certifications have been shown to be pretty much meaningless and false. All too often, products here that claim to be organic are in fact not.

 

It's kind of pointless to develop better channels for marketing and promoting "organic" food products that aren't really organic... And I'd dare say, a lot of the folks here who actually care about eating organic foods are all too keenly aware that the Thai government certifications are meaningless.

 

Wait till they start trying to export Thai-certified "organic" products to developed western countries, and the inspections and testing there start setting off danger alarm bells.

[Cadbury]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

ACFS pushes for higher levels of organic farming

It was reported a few years back that there was a scam going on in the relevant government department where non organic farmers could buy organic certification under the counter. 

Knowing Thailand It would be a bit much to expect this is not still not happening.

 

[jaltsc]

15 minutes ago, canopy said:

The problem is the existing organic farmers have been caught cheating using high levels of poisons over and over. Before expanding the program they need to figure out how to fix this problem, implement it, and prove it is effective. As a consumer I don't trust the organic labels due to the rampant cheating. I wish they would get more serious about this problem so I could.

 

Not to worry. They will get to it just as soon as they solve the increasing road carnage problem. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

Here's the results of this year's Thai-PAN testing of organic fruits and veggies sold here. The red means they had pesticide residue levels exceeding those allowed, orange means detectable levels within limits and green means clean.

 

As you can see above, in their limited sample, HALF of the "Organic Thailand" products had red levels of pesticides, as did HALF of the Thai GAP certified products.  But by comparison, all of the internationally certified products tested came back entirely clean.

 

 

[Totoandlilly]

20 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That's the problem... The various Thai-based "organic" certifications have been shown to be pretty much meaningless and false. All too often, products here that claim to be organic are in fact not.

 

It's kind of pointless to develop better channels for marketing and promoting "organic" food products that aren't really organic... And I'd dare say, a lot of the folks here who actually care about eating organic foods are all too keenly aware that the Thai government certifications are meaningless.

 

Wait till they start trying to export Thai-certified "organic" products to developed western countries, and the inspections and testing there start setting off danger alarm bells.

Time to get off the barstool and visit some organic farms, plenty of them in Chiang Mai. 

[Totoandlilly]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Here's the results of this year's Thai-PAN testing of organic fruits and veggies sold here. The red means they had levels exceeding those allowed, orange means detectable levels within limits and green means clean.

 

As you can see above, in their limited sample, HALF of the "Organic Thailand" products had red levels of pesticides, as did HALF of the Thai GAP certified products.  But by comparison, all of the internationally certified products tested came back entirely clean.

 

 

Reference to that they come clean

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 minutes ago, Totoandlilly said:

Time to get off the barstool and visit some organic farms, plenty of them in Chiang Mai. 

 

They "say" they're organic... That doesn't mean they actually are... especially here in Thailand.

 

This year's test results and similar testing done previously speak for themselves.

 

The Thai-PAN testing of organic products is done on fruits and veggies sold at the major supermarkets such as Tesco, Big C, Tops, etc....

 

I'll trust local products to actually be "organic" when either....

a. they get organic certifications from reputable international organizations, or

b. the Thai government is shown to have a believable, trustworthy, transparent inspections system of its own.

 

BTW, as regards the CM area, a lot of people seem to believe that Royal Project produce is organic, when in fact it is not, and the Royal Project website acknowledges it is not.

[JTXR]

Yes, Thailand needs to get serious about an IFAOM-approved certification program before masses of people will be willing to pay the higher prices that true organic produce can command.

[Jonah Tenner]

51 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Here's the results of this year's Thai-PAN testing of organic fruits and veggies sold here. The red means they had pesticide residue levels exceeding those allowed, orange means detectable levels within limits and green means clean.

 

As you can see above, in their limited sample, HALF of the "Organic Thailand" products had red levels of pesticides, as did HALF of the Thai GAP certified products.  But by comparison, all of the internationally certified products tested came back entirely clean.

 

 

In addition you have the problems with output or yield of organic farming. USDA estimates that for organic to be able to produce the same as the USA is producing today by conventional methods, they need to utilize much more land than today: "To have raised all U.S. crops as organic in 2014 would have required farming of one hundred nine million more acres of land. That is an area equivalent to all the parkland and wildland areas in the lower 48 states or 1.8 times as much as all the urban land in the nation."

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/02/16/usda-data-confirm-organic-yields-dramatically-lower-conventional-farming/

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, Jonah Tenner said:

In addition you have the problems with output or yield of organic farming. USDA estimates that for organic to be able to produce the same as the USA is producing today by conventional methods, they need to utilize much more land than today: "To have raised all U.S. crops as organic in 2014 would have required farming of one hundred nine million more acres of land. That is an area equivalent to all the parkland and wildland areas in the lower 48 states or 1.8 times as much as all the urban land in the nation."

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/02/16/usda-data-confirm-organic-yields-dramatically-lower-conventional-farming/

 

No one is saying or suggesting that ALL or MOST ALL of Thailand's produce farming should suddenly become organic...

 

Rather, only saying that products here that claim to be organic and are certified as organic by Thai inspectors/entities should be what they claim to be.

[johnnysunshine]

Thank you Tall Guy!   

Every previous statement prior to yours was saddening for me because if you all continue your non-support and non-encouragement of organics and better organic testing, you will be successful in getting non-organic produce for certain.   Is that everyone's desire here to continue to consume huge amounts of glyphosate until your brains are completely wasted or has that happened already and your less-than-human brains are printing all of this discouraging and damaging crap.   Every farmer in the world has struggled in some way to grow organic but at least in some countries, they are encouraged and supported to stay the course and abide by the rules.  Organic foods will be upgraded and testing better here and everywhere because there are enough folks in our confused and contradictory global population who see the necessity and importance of achieving the goal of organics.

Then the price of organics will go down and pesticide ridden foods will be more expensive.

[djayz]

Can these farmers, who produce clean and safe food for us, expect higher prices for their efforts?  

[djayz]

On 8/12/2019 at 12:03 PM, Totoandlilly said:

Time to get off the barstool and visit some organic farms, plenty of them in Chiang Mai. 

Just because there are plenty of organic farms in Chiang Mai, doesn't make his/her comment any less relevant. I'm sure for every one organic farm, there are thousands cheating and/or not organic in the least.