Thailand aims to organic farming leader in ASEAN

BANGKOK, June 8 (TNA) - Thailand set a goal to promote organic agriculture under the five-year plan to extend organic farming in the country to cover one million rai (400,000 acres) of areas in the next five years. Agriculture Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya said the 2017-2021 national organic agriculture development strategies were approved by the Cabinet. Under the strategies, the ministry will support researches and disseminate knowledge and innovation on organic farming as well as develop organic products and service and raise the standard of certification processes. Besides, the plan to increase organic farm areas, the ministry also targets to increase the number of organic farmers to 900,000 people across the country. It aims to be suppliers of organic products with the market ratio of about 40 per cent in the domestic market and 60 per cent for overseas market. Department of Agriculture Director General Suwit Chaikiattiyos said farmers are divided into three groups, the beginners, farmers, seeking certification and those certified farmers, looking for the market channel for their products. The authorities will support what they need to push Thailand to be one of major suppliers of organic products. (TNA)