Thailand
Thailand to market organic herbs in Cambodia
The Thai Commerce Ministry plans to promote the export of Thai organic herbs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, aiming to create added value for the sector.
The ministry will start its herbal marketing plan in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, where consumers are familiar with Asian herbs, according to a recent article published in the Bangkok Post.
It will eventually widen its plan to include other markets such as the European Union and the US, where people increasingly favour organic products.
Thai Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said the ministry had set a strategy to promote Thai herbs by linking them to other growing sectors, such as spas, food, drugs and cosmetics.
“We plan to promote organic Thai herbs. We should have strength in the global market because there is high demand for organic herbs, as people become more health-conscious. If we can penetrate the market, we can help increase the price of Thai herbs,” she said.
Ms Apiradi said the ministry will initially promote four herbs – turmeric, Asiatic pennywort, phai and fingerroot – as recent studies have found that these herbs are widely used in food, drugs and cosmetics, which would make it easier for them to reach consumers.
“We will encourage farmers to grow more herbs and we will start our promotion plans to support them,” she said.
Ms Apiradi said the ministry’s representatives in other countries would study regulations and standards to facilitate the export process.
Soeng Sophary, a spokesperson at the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, said recently that the year-on-year growth of trade between Cambodia and Thailand was a positive sign and that the countries were on track to meet the target of $15 billion in bilateral trade by 2020.
Last year, the trade volume between Cambodia and Thailand reached $5.6 billion, a $100 million rise compared with 2015, according to figures provided by the Thai Embassy in Cambodia.
Thailand’s exports to Cambodia last year were worth $4.7 billion, while Cambodia’s exports to Thailand were valued at $937 million.
Source: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5087447/thailand-market-organic-herbs-cambodia/