The sales volume of Thailand’s grassroots products, valued at over Bt100 billion last year, has surged more than 80 percent since the inception of the project in 2002, the commerce minister said this week.
Boonsong Teriyapirom said the Commerce Ministry predicted the trading value of merchandise from the government-initiated One Tambon One Product (OTOP) project to double in the next five years.
OTOP goods currently represent 10-20 percent of the country’s total exports.
The ministry recently signed an agreement with the Thai Retailers Association to expand retailing channels for OTOP products, more of which will consequently be available at leading department stores nationwide.
Boonsong said the OTOP project is one of the government’s significant policies in supporting grassroots industries and upgrading them to small- and medium-scale enterprises.
The goal is to boost and improve community production of grassroots merchandise to be recognized in domestic and international markets, he said.
He said major retailers in Thailand have extended cooperation and advised small- and medium-sized manufacturers on trading channels.
