Farmers Celebrate as CP Extra Builds Platform for 35 Billion Baht in Procurement

CP Extra Public Company Limited, which operates the Makro and Lotus wholesale and retail businesses, has unveiled AXTRA AGRI-CONNEXT in collaboration with public and private sector agencies. The platform serves as a crucial mechanism linking farmers, entrepreneurs, and modern markets to enhance competitiveness and create sustainable growth for Thailand's grassroots economy.

Siriporn Dech Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at CP Extra, explained that the company believes good opportunities should be accessible to all. The platform operates as a 24-hour online system that reduces limitations and complex procedures, accelerates business transactions, and creates real opportunities. It seamlessly connects farmers to modern trade, allowing direct product presentation to Makro and Lotus, helping reduce market gaps and increase competitive potential. The platform provides comprehensive support from product training and development through product selection to sales opportunities.

Jirawuth Suanwanit, Deputy Director-General of the Internal Trade Department under the Ministry of Commerce, noted that the department plays a vital role in maintaining price stability and ensuring market fairness, particularly for agricultural products, which form the heart of Thailand's economy. He emphasized that the key challenge is enabling farmers to access markets more directly, reducing inequality, and strengthening producer bargaining power. The opportunity platform represents an important mechanism that will help connect farmers to modern markets through both retail formats and digital channels. This collaboration will provide agricultural products with diverse sales channels, fair pricing, and easier consumer access to quality goods.

Veerasak Bunchern, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, stated that the department's mission is to develop Thai farmers to produce quality goods and sell them at higher value. The department has focused on knowledge and technology transfer and production planning to help farmers become Smart Farmers capable of producing goods that match market demand. The department also supports the i-Trace (Traceability System), which enables full supply chain verification and food safety standards improvement. By scanning a QR code on products, consumers can verify information including origin, variety, production standards, growing location, and nutritional data.

Pakdee Jankaset, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Promotion under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, views cooperatives as important mechanisms for uniting farmers' strength to enhance both production and product quality through establishing standardized packaging facilities and managing markets. This collaboration will strengthen cooperatives' ability to access modern markets, improve distribution efficiency, and promote cooperatives to become capable entrepreneurs in the supply chain.