Page 32 - FoodFocusThailand No.179 February 2021
P. 32
SPECIAL INTERVIEW
Thailand is the land of abundant fertility continuously Among these 53,642 factories, there are facilities of all
blessed with rich deposits of raw materials as well as food sizes ranging from small to medium and large, each of which
and beverage processing technologies. According to the has its own business potential. Despite such diversity, the
industrial alliance, if successfully established, will further
data provided by the Department of Industrial Works at strengthen and enhance the sector’s competitiveness in the
the end of 2019, the country’s 53,642 food and beverage global context.
processing factories churned out total food products valued The Federation of Thai Industries, which came into
approximately at THB 3 trillion per year, THB 2 trillion of existence on November 13, 1967 as the Association of
Thai Industries that was later upgraded on December
which were for domestic sales while another THB 1 trillion 29, 1987, is a non-profit organization. Currently under the
were for exports. The average growth rate is at around 1% administration of the Minister of Industry as dictated by
per year. Thailand is the world’s 11 biggest food exporter the Federation of Thai Industries Act, B.E.2530 (1987), it
th
(enjoying 2.51% of the global market share) with USA harbors the vision to serve as the nexus for raising the
strength and productivity of the Thai industries to the
occupying the top spot (9.22%). In Asia, it is only second international level of competitiveness in order to improve
to China. the country’s economy, society, and environment in a
sustainable manner.
Directions of the Thai
Food & Beverage Industry:
Teaming Up. Synergize.
Sustainability
“The Federation of Thai Industries consists of 45
industrial clubs among which that of the food and beverage
industry boasts the highest number of members of 330
companies (the data as of January 2021). Such figure reflects
that Thailand is indeed a food and beverage manufacturing
hub. F&B is a business that Thais can, through their own
investment, start up without much difficulty,” Mr.Visit
Limlurcha, Chairman, Food Processing Industry Club, The
Federation of Thai Industries, commented in his opening
statement during the interview with Food Focus Thailand.
He further added that the members of the Food Processing
Industry Club range from small to medium and large
enterprises with diverse business models that span the entire
supply chain from upstream to downstream. In other words,
these members include raw material sourcing companies,
processing plants, exporters, restaurants, and food service
providers.
Roles of the Food Processing Industry Club
The current domestic and international demands are dynamic
Special Interview and ever-changing, “We must catch up with and predict the
Mr.Visit Limlurcha trends,” affirmed Mr.Visit. He continued that the Food
Chairman Processing Industry Club’s missions are to act as a central
Food Processing Industry Club collaborator that meets, liaises, and negotiates with public
The Federation of Thai Industries bodies and other food-related entities.
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