Three factories, producing counterfeit Thai jasmine (Hom Mali) rice in China were shut down as Thai authorities will intensify public relations campaign to promote Thai jasmine rice certificate mark on the packages of Thai genuine jasmine rice among Chinese consumers.
Deputy director-general of foreign trade department Manatsanith Jirawat said those factories used rice grown in China and added food additives to make it smell like Thai jasmine rice.
The factories in Auhui were closed and fake rice was seized. The Chinese authorities are taking legal action against those companies. There has been no report of forged Thai Hom Mali Rice Certificate Mark.
The department has worked with the commerce office in Beijing and the trade promotion office in Shanghai to oversee the issue and check whether there is any impact on Thai rice market in China.
Thai agencies will hold talks with Chinese authorities to prevent fake jasmine rice production.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Prayoon Insakul said China’s food safety standard bans flavouring and aromatic additives in rice.
He ordered agriculture officials in Guangzhou and Shanghai to create confidence among Chinese consumers and intensify public relations campaign to give Chinese consumers tips on how to judge genuine Thai jasmine rice.
Thai Hom Mali Rice Certificate Mark will be promoted. The certificate mark is a quality mark of Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce to show that this rice variety originated from Thailand and its quality meets the relevant standards defined by the Ministry of Commerce.
List of official Jasmine rice products originated in Thailand and certified by the Ministry of Commerce can be seen on the website https://thaihommaliricecertificationmark.dft.go.th/. (TNA)
