Thai dairy exports see bright prospect in ASEAN

BANGKOK, November 27 (TNA) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives says that there is a promising prospect of Thailand's exports of dairy products to neighbouring countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially once the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is formed by the end of 2015. Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Apichart Pongsriadulchai told the positive prospect at a seminar on "Thai dairy business in the ASEAN market", held in Bangkok on Thursday. Apichart said that Thai exports of dairy products to the ASEAN market currently stand at about 5 billion baht annually, projecting that exports of Thai dairy products to ASEAN should further expand once the AEC is established, thanks to increasing demand in the region. Apichart pointed out, however, that the Thai dairy business faces higher production costs, including labour and raw material costs, when compared with those in neighbouring countries, although the Thai dairy business is considered efficient. According to the deputy minister, his ministry will, thus, promote a new dairy farming approach by adopting the European model, in which cows are raised in the fields to reduce feeding costs. Under the new policy, the deputy minister acknowledged, Thai farmers will be encouraged to grow more grass feeds to help reduce their production costs, including imported feeds from abroad. (TNA)