http://www.biz-day.com/agro_and_food/ Business Day Agro & Food Headlines en-us BANGKOK, Oct 7 - Commerce Ministry officials will inspect vegetable prices at markets, and vendors have been urged not to raise prices during the annual vegetarian festival, which begins Wednesday and extends through October 20, a senior ministry official said today.'Director-General Yanyong Phuangrach of the Internal Trade Department said the ministry was concerned that vegetable prices might increase as a number of provinces have been affected by floods and consumers would be in trouble... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/08_oct_07/esx3u-t/vendors_urged_not_hike_prices_during_vegetarian_fest.htm BANGKOK, Sept 29 - More farmers in Thailand's Northern and Northeastern regions have now switched to growing glutinous 'sticky' rice following a higher demand from China, which has automatically pushed up its prices, a senior Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry official said. 'Monthol Jeamcharoen, deputy secretary-general of Office of Agricultural Economics, said the market price of high quality glutinous rice rose by more than 3,000 baht per tonne to a new record high of Bt10,715 per... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/30_sep_07/gw92r-z/more_thai_farmers_growing_glutinous_rice.htm BANGKOK, Jan 25 - Thailand's exports of processed rice products look favourable, boosted by a raw material source advantage, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre.'The leading think tank reported that rice products are attractive agro-industrial goods, although the domestic market had not expanded much.'The export of rice products looks interesting, the Kasikorn report suggests, though the value is not especially high when compared with that of farm products.'KRC said that rice... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/25_jan_07/ehccy-f/processed_rice_product_exports_look_promising_krc.htm BANGKOK, Jan 3 - Thailand's Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry has proposed an ambitious plan to make 2007 a golden year for rice production and export. ' 'Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Sutabutr said that the ministry will set aside Bt100 million for research and development to help develop new value-added rice products for export. ' 'Mr. Theera will convene a meeting on January 7 where he plans to set out a strategic plan for rice production and processing.... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/03_jan_07/ey73a-b/2007_golden_year_thai_rice_says_agriculture_minister.htm BANGKOK, Dec 15 - Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry will set up a special screening team to deal with problems of Thai shrimp exported to Australia, according to Minister Thira Sutabutr.'Mr. Thira said Australia has recently released a draft import risk analysis (IRA) paper about new standards imposed on shrimp imports. To clear any problem concerning the IRA, the ministry will set up an ad hoc working committee to prepare information on Thai shrimp and farming standard to... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/14_dec_06/dw6xf-6/thailand_ensures_disease_free_thai_shrimp_exports.htm BANGKOK, Dec 9 - Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will promote organic rice farming in Thailand by selling organic rice seed to farmers, a senior agriculture official said Saturday. 'Surapong Pransilapa, director general of the Ministry's Rice Department, said his department would buy organic rice seed, grown from a pilot ricefield, and sell the seed to farmers throughout the country.' 'Last year, the pilot ricefield yielded 170.5 tonnes of organic rice seed--enough to... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/09_dec_06/h66ad-p/ministry_of_agriculture_supports_organic_rice.htm BANGKOK, Nov 25 - The European Union has agreed to give concessions to two categories of chicken products from Thailand, according to the Ministry of Commerce. ' 'Benefiting from these concessions will be salted chicken and cooked chicken meat. ' 'Trade Negotiations Department director-general Chutima Bunyapraphasara said the EU has agreed to change tariff collections and import quota arrangements for both categories of chicken from Thailand. Negotiations had been underway since June. '... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/25_nov_06/bkbpn-f/thai_chicken_flies_high_eu_expands_quota.htm BANGKOK, Nov 16 - Thailand's exports of farm and agro-industrial products are expected to expand continuously next year although at a slower pace, according to the Kasikorn Research Centre.'The leading economic think tank said that exports of farm products remained subject to certain risk factors including the United States economic slowdown, the stronger baht, fuel price volatility, and changes in rules and regulations on the part of importing countries.'However, Thailand's expanding... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/16_nov_06/eq4mi-r/farm_agro_industry_exports_promising_says_kasikorn.htm BANGKOK, Nov 16 - Major rice exporters Thailand and Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday on exchanging information on rice and daily price levels with the intention to prevent price cutting practices previously used by rice dealers, a senior commerce ministry official said.'Apiradi Tantraporn, director general of Thailand's Foreign Trade Department, said rice exporters of the two neighbouring countries signed the agreement to cooperate on exchanging information--including... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/16_nov_06/g3kgh-k/thailand_vietnam_sign_mou_rice_thai_traders_see.htm Washington, Nov 16 Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have identified two genetic mutations that appear to be involved in turning a deadly bird flu virus into a contiguous human one.'The H5N1 strain has surface proteins that allow it to easily infect birds, but not humans. However, experts have been afraid it will gain the ability to spread easily among humans, leading to millions of deaths world-wide.'"We identified two changes that are important. Both changes are needed... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/15_nov_06/bs8ii-r/mutations_that_help_bird_flu_virus_turn_virulent_humans.htm The head of the Thai Frozen Food Association said Saturday that he was confident that the US would review and may scrap its policy of collecting a continuous bond or a bank guarantee for Thai shrimps exported to the United States on the occasion of a visit next week by a powerful business Thai delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.'The association's president, Poj Aramwattananont, said private sector representatives, especially shrimp exporters, would meet here Monday... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/02_jul_06/cud2b-j/us_urged_scrap_thai_shrimp_import_conditions.htm Thailand agreed yeaterday to remove import tariffs on 10 agricultural commodities from four Southeast Asian nations to facilitate trade and economic cooperation, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said yesterday. 'The tariff decision was made at a meeting of foreign ministers from Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in Bangkok yesterday to discuss the Irrawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy. 'Exemptions on import tariffs will be applied to 10 commodities... http://www.biz-day.com/read/agro_and_food/02_nov_05/gym89-e/leaders_approve_tariff_exemptions_farming.htm