Four new regulations have come into effect to strictly control the import of feed corn and wheat in 2026, requiring certificates confirming no burning. The aim is to reduce cross-border haze and PM 2.5 dust pollution.
On 9 Jan 2026, Ms. Airin Panrit, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that the government, through the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, has issued four regulations regarding the import of feed corn and wheat as animal feed raw materials for 2026. These regulations, effective from 1 Jan 2026, aim to systematically oversee feed raw material imports, protect public health, and elevate Thai product standards in line with government policy. The four regulations align with the resolutions of the Feed Corn Policy and Management Committee and have been approved by the Cabinet.
The first regulation is a Ministry of Commerce announcement designating feed corn as a product requiring certification and compliance with import control measures into the kingdom, B.E. 2568 (2025 CE). This regulation specifically requires that imported feed corn be free from burning, marking a new environmental condition. It stipulates that imported feed corn used as animal feed raw material must originate from production or farming processes that do not involve burning.
"This measure aims to reduce cross-border haze and PM 2.5 dust pollution, support environmentally friendly agriculture, and raise the standards of the agricultural supply chain to align with global trade trends. Importers must prepare documentation, production source information, and related evidence to demonstrate that imported goods meet the no-burning condition mandated by law," she said.
For customs clearance, two types of documents must be presented. Initially, to ease adjustment and avoid significant import disruption, importers may use a "self-certification" form that includes cultivation details, farm location, and import quantity to allow traceability. Alternatively, importers can present official documents issued by competent authorities of the exporting country or by institutions certified or authorized by the exporting country, or by internationally recognized organizations, to facilitate trade flow. Importers must retain these documents for five years for traceability. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will designate a competent authority in Thailand to publish a list of authorized issuing agencies in exporting countries.
The second and third regulations are Ministry of Commerce announcements concerning the import of feed corn under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) for 2026, B.E. 2568 (2025 CE), and the issuance of certificates for tax concession rights under the World Trade Organization (WTO) agricultural agreement for feed corn in 2026. These regulations continue from previous years as tools to manage market and import volumes in line with domestic production conditions.
Under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA/ATIGA) tax privileges in 2026, feed corn originating and directly imported from ASEAN member countries can be imported in unlimited quantities at a 0% tariff rate. However, the import period for general importers is reduced to five months (from 1 Feb to 30 Jun 2026) to avoid affecting Thai feed corn farmers’ main production season, according to the Cabinet’s resolution on 11 Nov 2025. Documentation requirements for proof of origin and related documents, as well as designated customs checkpoints, remain unchanged. The Commodity Organization is still allowed to import year-round.
Regarding WTO tax privileges for 2026, importer qualifications have been improved, and the import quota expanded from the previous 54,700 tons per year imported only by the Commodity Organization (OCS) to allow both OCS and general importers to import up to 1 million tons per year, following the Cabinet resolution on 11 Nov 2025. The Ministry of Finance will issue announcements specifying the applicable import tariff rates.
The fourth regulation is a Ministry of Commerce regulation on the application and permission for wheat import into the kingdom for 2026, B.E. 2568 (2025 CE). This follows the same approach as the previous year to ensure the animal feed industry has sufficient and continuous raw materials, without adding significant new policy conditions like those for feed corn.
The government advises importers to prioritize compliance with the no-burning feed corn regulations first, as this new law increases documentation and inspection requirements. Importers should prepare to adjust their sourcing systems and strengthen origin verification to meet the new requirements, which apply to imports from all countries. Other regulations follow familiar frameworks that operators are already accustomed to.