Thailand rolls out agricultural produce traceability to ensure food safety

October 12, 2020
Size:

Thailand's Ministry of Commerce unveiled a new tracing system on Tuesday to allow buyers to inspect source of seedlings, cultivation and manufacturing process, processing and areas of distribution of agricultural produce.

"Food safety has increasingly become a concern for consumers around the world. As one of the world's major food manufacturers, Thailand is piloting a tracing system allowing consumers to trace produce back to the manufacturing process, from seedlings to the finished produce," said Pimchanok Vonkorpon, director-general of the ministry's Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).

She said the new tracing system is now available online at TraceThai.com website.

Information on certificates granted for organic products is also available.

The system has been developed by the Ministry of Commerce's TPSO, which has established an agreement with the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to encourage more farmers to join this program.

Today's consumers have become very selective and cares of what food go into their mouths, she said.

Products that are now enrolled in this system will have a QR code that consumers can scan using their smartphone to receive tracing information.

Alternatively, they can key in the product's lot number on TraceThai.com to receive the same information, she said.

The TPSo said that so far seven organic farmer groups from various provinces, have been piloting this tracing system, with positive feedback from farmers and retailers on the convenience.