Thailand eyes 120 billion baht from food exports to EU annually

[webfact]

Thailand eyes 120 billion baht from food exports to EU annually

BANGKOK, 23 February 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) is to conduct a comprehensive study of the EU market's demand for Thai agricultural and food products in the hope of increasing the exports to that market to 120 billion baht worth annually.

The National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) will cooperate with the Office of Agricultural Affairs in Brussels in the study which will cover nine categories of Thai products such as fruits, organic products, herbs, spices, shrimps, tuna and chicken, to be exported in the next five years from 2015-2020.

The study will look into the changing aspects of social, economic, trading and environmental situation in the EU which can affect the market shares of the Thai products. It will enhance the competitiveness of Thai exports to the market which is considered as having the highest purchasing power in the world with a combined population of five hundred million.

ACFS Secretary General Sakchai Sriboonsue said the study would take eight months from February to September and would cover all parts of the EU -- eleven countries in Eastern Europe, nine in the West, six in the South and four in the Scandinavian region.


-- NNT 2015-02-23

[chooka]

They may have a chance if they did something about the high value of the baht.

[Strangebrew]

We won't discuss the value of the baht Because BOT says Baht is at correct level that makes countries Flocking here to spend money on export and tariffs to ship from here to there. When there getting free trade from US. And High quality safe FDA approved products.

[Strangebrew]

Hey new HUB Bub of eyeing

[Prbkk]

Yes, relatively high purchasing power but a collection of markets in which consumers take a keen interest in quality and in the ethics of production.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

EU should treat the Thai exporters the same way they treat exporters of Wine from EU to Thailand:

( Apr 3, 2012 - Thailand accused of breaking WTO rules .... The Taxes on wine is roundabout 400% Import Duty 54% +Excise Tax +Municipal tax +Health tax )

Can you imagine their outcry if we treat them tit for tat!

[Bluespunk]

Yes, relatively high purchasing power but a collection of markets in which consumers take a keen interest in quality and in the ethics of production.

Yep, might have to do something about the human trafficking issue if want access to this market.

Thankfully.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Bluespunk

[Ricardo]

The study would naturally require on-the-ground visits to all thirty countries, with the usual travel-arrangements & emoluments, by a committee of suitably grateful qualified individuals or starving former military politicians, just like in the good-old-days ?

And should be timed to make maximum-use of visits to appropriate conferences/bun-fights/cultural-opportunities exhibitions ? Christmas or New Year, the skiing-season or August on the Mediterranean-coast, yes they might be quite nice timing.

Not to forget being guided personally, by one's opposite-numbers, from the Office of Agricultural Affairs in Brussels, it would be undiplomatic not to remember one's good friends & colleagues on the international-stage.

But no need to cover the sweltering burgeoning economies of the Gulf, or Africa which actually also buys our mouldy surplus rice, I wonder what's the best time-of-year to tour visit Russia or China, as a potential follow-on medium-speed gravy-train survey ?

And definitely no need to upset our good friends in Customs, by proposing corresponding-reductions in European food-import tarrifs to Thailand, or easing shipments of cut-price qaulity-beer from Laos to the thirsty tourists in Pattaya & elsewhere !

Edited February 23, 2015 by Ricardo

[ourmanflint]

Venturing into London's Chinatown the other day, I could hardly find any fresh produce that came from Thailand. Thailand cannot export produce that meets the EU's strict safety standards, and until farmers realise this they won't get a look in.

[LuckyLew]

Not long ago I was reading a news story here about Thailand about to get a yellow card regarding exporting food to EU

Now they want to increase exports? they should try take care of what they have before it disappears instead of dreaming of bigger numbers

[Commerce]

"in the hope of increasing the exports to that market "

Hope being a very operative word here.

"The study will look into the changing aspects of social, economic, trading and environmental situation in the EU which can affect the market shares of the Thai products. It will enhance the competitiveness of Thai exports to the market which is considered as having the highest purchasing power in the world with a combined population of five hundred million."

'will look into'.....

...a population of 500M, and yet Thailand is trying its best to get into bed with China, a popu of 1.4 Billion. What's the necessity for EU trading, when Thailand clearly states it does not need Western influence?

Furthermore: "ACFS Secretary General Sakchai Sriboonsue said the study would take eight months from February to September and would cover all parts of the EU -- eleven countries in Eastern Europe, nine in the West, six in the South and four in the Scandinavian region."

Thailand should be looking at the effects of Asean before it even contemplates such moves, because idealised rape of this country is coming in the next 6 months..... unless, of course, Thailand as an entity decides to opt out of Asean because it is too precious. Time to grow up, and accept that your breasts are not that large Thailand.

[maidee]

good luck with their one way, benefit only us , strategy

[Srikcir]

Someone needs a Reality Check!

Gen. Prayuth recently signed a military security agreement with Russia and has invited its military advisors to Thailand for "coordination" purposes. Thailand also has been invited to Russia's counter-insurgency conference this Spring. Gen. Prayuth has also agreed to start exporting foods to Russia that would replace EU foods that were banned from Russia in Pytin's retaliation to EU sacntions.

Meanwhile the EU has ended its GSM agreement with Thailand that provided lower tarrifs of Thai exports to EU. The EU had been warning Thailand to start making separate trade agreements with each of the EU countries and Thailand has not. Furthermore, the EU has been critical of the Junta's lack of progress to restore democracy in Thailand to which pro-Junta pundits cry interference with Thailand's domestic affairs. After enduring WWII, the Cold War and now the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU has little patience trading with a military-controlled government that behaves like a Putin wanna-be.

And yet the Junta expects all its actions are "understand" because of whatever BS it can dream up. Funny thing about reality checks - they never bounce.

[roamer]

Venturing into London's Chinatown the other day, I could hardly find any fresh produce that came from Thailand. Thailand cannot export produce that meets the EU's strict safety standards, and until farmers realise this they won't get a look in.

A little more complex than that but your on the right track, there is a warning system in place , fall foul of it 4 times in one 12 month period and you face export bans. Thai exports generally manage about 3-4 months before Thailand itself pulls the plug on exports to avoid bad publicity and the possibility of other more valuable exports (chicken etc) coming under greater scrutiny. So if you're at Chinatown at the right time you are able to get stuff like Holy Basil which is out of reach for most of the year. TBH countries like Vietnam & even Cambodia are better able to manage their exports than Thailand.

[englishoak]

Its one thing to value a market, it is quite another to actually secure it. Especially when it means having consistently higher standards than Thailand can even manage for more than a few months.