-KH News Desk (cbdigital@imaws.org)
Thai food, known for its abundant use of vegetables and herbs, is becoming the prime choice of consumers in the age of health consciousness. It incorporates lean proteins, heart healthy fats and fiber rich vegetables, thus promoting digestion, immunity and the overall well-being.
The president of the Thai Future Food Trade Association, Visit Limlurcha explains the potential for the export growth due to current global trends.
The Thai food sector experienced an average annual growth of 7% from FY 2016-2022, with the industry’s value increasing from US$2.5 billion to $3.73 billion, which accounted for 9% of all food exports in 2022.
The sudden increase of 12% in 2021 was the consequence of increased demand for food security and the booming health awareness among consumers in both domestic and international markets following the pandemic.
The Thai Future Food Trade Association has launched a campaign called “Wen Day on Wednesday”.The campaign encourages Thai consumers, canteens, restaurants, hotels, schools and hospitals to offer future foods every Wednesday. Drawing its inspiration from the initiatives like Meatless Monday, the campaignpromotes the consumption of plant-based, insect-based as well as organically grown and functional foods.
Another factor influencing the food industry, is the technology such as bioengineering, synthetic biology, genetic modification and nanotechnology. With innovative food products incessantly entering the global market, inculcation of advanced technologies support the expansion.
The environmental awareness has also played a significant part in boosting the Thai food industry.Due to the impact of climate change, which has resulted in more frequent and severe natural disasters, disrupted ecosystems, and food insecurity, the consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of sustainable sourcing.
“The food industry must accelerate efforts to add value to their products, ensuring reliability, enhancing food security, and fostering fair trade competition to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” said Limlurcha.
