Described: 16 Nov 2024 at 04: 00
Cocoa is now included in the record of crops that are under the control of a subcommittee on agricultural crops, according to the committee on agribusiness and cooperatives policy and development.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry’s official, Ekkaphap Polsue, claimed that the inclusion of coco will help the subcommittee promote the grain, help it assistance farmers, and address its issues.
The other vegetables on the list overseen by the sub-committee on agricultural crops include coffee, tea, peppers and longan.
According to Mr. Ekkaphap, the commission, which is led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Narumon Pinyosinwat, has also agreed to change the structure of the agricultural crops sub-committee.
The Marketing Organisation for Farmers ( MOF ) will be represented by the subcommittee, which will undergo a restructuring to better manage issues.
According to Mr. Ekkaphap, the proposed modifications will be approved by the secretary.
Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office ( TPSO ), said the cocoa market is growing, and its value is projected to exceed US$ 20 billion by 2028, up from$ 16 billion last year.
He cited data from the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries ( CBI ) of the European Union.
Due to the El Nino occurrence, which led to the price increase that persisted from the center of last year to the middle of this year, cocoa was less plentiful. In January, the price in the global market reached$ 6.6 ( 230 baht ) per kilogramme, up 83.3 % on-year.
Cocoa production in Thailand was 1, 256 tonnes in 2022 or 0.02 % of global output, but this rose to 3, 360 tonnes last month.