MALAYSIA TO TAP THAI NICHE MARKET

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, Feb 10 (Bernama) -- While Thailand may be one of the top producers
of agriculture and agro-based products, it still has niche markets for Malaysian
traditional herbs and medicinal products.

Deputy Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Rohani Abdul Karim Monday
said Malaysia had an upper hand as it was more advanced in their production and
the products could be promoted in Thailand.

At the moment, the products are limited to Southern Thai provinces bordering
Malaysia, she said, adding that Malaysia's Agriculture Attache Office in
Bangkok was working closely with Malaysian companies to expand the market
further to Bangkok and other parts of the country.

"We lack promotion of our agricultural products...we have many products that
can penetrate the Thai market. The ministry will work closely with our embassy
in Bangkok to bring and promote our products here," she said at the end of her
four-day working visit to Thailand.

Rohani said there were many things that Malaysia could learn from Thailand,
especially its successful Otop (One Tambun One Product) where farmers and
villages were able to produce and market products with less or little support
and subsidy from the Government.

In this aspect, she said the ministry was looking at the possibility of
sending officials and farmers to be attached with various agriculture-based
organisations here, to tap the vast experience and creativity of the Kingdom's
agro sector.

Rohani said such attachment stints could provide first-hand information and
knowledge to Malaysians as Thailand has established itself as one of the
leading agriculture and agro-based product producer in the world.

"The farmers' attitute and commitment are among things that we can certainly
learn from. They pay much attention to the self-sufficient concept introduced by
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and work their way up with little assistance from the
authorities," she said.

Citing the Otop project, she said many products were made from wastes and
less machineries were used, while packaging and marketing were given top
priority.

"The Government provides packaging for the first time only, and villagers
were expected to expand their businesses from there. Besides the core products,
many combined it with agro-tourism where tourists are taken to visit their
manufacturing sites with basis facilities," she said.
-- BERNAMA