The Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI), in collaboration with the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE), and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), hosted a forum to shape sustainable opportunities for Thailand’s future food industry on the global stage.
This initiative gathers input from government, private sector, and academic representatives to inform budget planning for research and innovation, analyze future food industry trends both domestically and internationally, and identify key research questions and recommendations to enhance Thailand’s national competitiveness.
Associate Professor Dr. Pongpan Kaewtatip, Deputy Director of TSRI, highlighted the flagship initiative of the Science, Research, and Innovation (SRI) Plan 2023-2027, which aims to enhance the production and export of functional ingredients, functional food, and novel food using domestic agricultural raw materials. The goal is to increase the export value of these products by 4 billion baht between 2023 and 2027.
Associate Professor Dr. Nathdanai Harnkarnsujirit, Chairman of the Strategic Integration Unit for Future Food Development at TSRI and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, emphasized that future food technology trends will focus on sustainability, health, nutrition, transparency, and artificial intelligence. Key trends will include healthy foods, functional foods, personalized nutrition, alternative proteins, new processing methods, precision fermentation, and sustainable packaging throughout the value chain. To capitalize on these opportunities, Thailand must develop infrastructure, human resources, research and development, regulations and standards, and consumer and trade awareness.
The forum featured expert speakers discussing various topics, such as agricultural production and food security amid global changes, strategies to enhance the competitiveness of Thailand’s future food industry, global economic trends and opportunities for Thai future food, regulatory and standard advancements for food quality and safety, and global impacts on the food industry. (NNT)
