Department of Foreign Trade Aggressively Targets European Market for Thai Organic Rice

The Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, sent a trade delegation to Switzerland and Germany to negotiate expanding Thai organic rice markets into high-value European territories. Led by Director-General Arada Fluengthong, the delegation visited between February 5-11, organizing a campaign called 'Healthy Life by Thai Organic Rice' under the Thai Organic Rice X Thai SELECT campaign. The initiative received strong positive responses, highlighting Thai organic rice's potential in premium markets that prioritize health and sustainability. Key activities included launch events in Zurich and Darmstadt, featuring Thai SELECT restaurants and offering promotional activities like airline ticket giveaways and cooking class prizes. The delegation also met with key rice importers and organic agriculture organizations, learning that Switzerland has one of Europe's strongest organic food markets, with per capita organic consumption reaching approximately 18,000 baht annually. Additionally, six Thai organic rice SMEs participated in the BIOFACH 2026 international organic products exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany.