The Department of Internal Trade is moving forward with the "Thai Premium Rice" project, selecting 200 farmer groups and supporting each with a budget of 500,000 baht to elevate Thai rice to the premium market, alongside promoting free DNA testing for jasmine rice.
Mr. Wittayakorn Maneenet, Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade, revealed that the Ministry of Commerce prioritizes establishing new market systems for Thai rice, especially high-quality rice with unique local characteristics, stories, and the ability to meet the needs of modern consumers both domestically and abroad. The Thai Premium Rice project serves as a key mechanism to gather and develop high-quality rice producer groups nationwide to effectively enhance products, build brands, and increase value.
Out of 468 applicant groups, the Department of Internal Trade, along with related agencies and rice market experts, selected 200 groups with potential to join the first phase of the project. These include 42 groups classified as excellent potential (Tier 1), 93 as very good potential (Tier 2), and 65 as good potential (Tier 3) to determine appropriate support plans tailored to each group's capabilities.
Mr. Wittayakorn stated that these 200 farmer groups will be the key drivers in promoting “Thai Premium Rice” into the premium market. The Ministry of Commerce will highlight the unique taste, local identity, and stories of each rice variety to raise awareness and increase value, encouraging consumers to pay higher prices, which will ultimately lead to genuine income growth for farmers.
Regarding support, selected groups can propose plans to receive funding up to 500,000 baht each, covering four main areas: production and post-harvest processing, such as support for rice milling machines, color sorting equipment, drying machines to reduce moisture, and productivity-enhancing tools to elevate rice quality to premium standards; packaging and product development, including vacuum packaging machines, label design, and community brand creation; standards and certification like GMP, HACCP, and Organic Thailand to build market confidence; and marketing and sales channel linkage, such as participation in trade shows, business matching, support for display equipment, and expanding both offline and online markets to increase farmers' direct access to consumers.
The Director-General added that the project emphasizes transparency, with a provincial committee composed of deputy governors, provincial commerce officers, and local agricultural agencies involved in screening and approving plans to truly meet community needs.
Additionally, for the 266 applicant groups not selected this round, the Department of Internal Trade plans to provide ongoing training, capacity building, and market linkage support to prepare them for future inclusion in the premium rice group.
Another key measure the department is promoting concurrently is encouraging operators to use the certification mark "Phrom Hand" (a folded hands symbol) on packaged jasmine rice to certify it as authentic jasmine rice meeting standards. The department has a policy to support and cover costs for DNA or genetic identity testing for operators and rice mills authorized to use this mark. This reduces costs and incentivizes more participants to join the certification system. The testing is conducted in cooperation with government agencies and academic institutions, such as Kasetsart University's DNA testing service, ensuring certification is transparent, accurate, and verifiable to prevent rice adulteration and build consumer confidence in choosing Thai jasmine rice in the market.
"This project reflects the proactive efforts of the Ministry of Commerce to transform Thai agriculture from commodity selling to creating high-value products driven by quality, refinement, and local identity, aiming to sustainably increase income and strengthen Thai farmers," Mr. Wittayakorn concluded.
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