BANGKOK, 10 May 2013 The 12th National Horticultural Congress has been held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Bitec Bangna.
At the opening ceremony of The 12th National Horticultural Congress, under the theme “The AEC and Thai horticultural crops,” Mr.Yukol Limlamthong , Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Agriculture and Cooperatives said that Thailand has an advantage in planting horticultural crops, which will be beneficial for the coming AEC. He also emphasized the importance of researches on plant breeding development.
According to him, Thai horticultural plants have been generating sizable revenue for Thailand. In 2011, the country exported 42 billion baht worth of vegetable, 38 billion baht worth of fruit, 4 billion baht worth of decorative plants, and another 4 billion baht worth of plant seeds to several countries including China, Japanese,Britain, and the US. In order to enter the ASEAN Community, member countries will be required to lower import tariffs and raise product safety standards. The requirements, according to the Minister, are advantageous to Thailand, given its standards and product safety measures. However, it must improve its method in plant breeding based on the changing climate.
Moreover, Thailand must also contribute to human development for its farmers and officials. 134 topics were discussed in the event , which was attended by over 300 participants.
