The Commerce Ministry has vowed to move ahead with plans to develop and promote entrepreneurs trading in bio-, circular and green (BCG) products, aiming to raise the trade value of BCG product shipments to more than 517 million baht next year.
Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department (DITP) under the Commerce Ministry, said his department looks set to team up with related agencies within the ministry to move the digital economy forward and develop Thai entrepreneurs to prepare for the BCG economic model next year.
The department aims to develop and upgrade more than 1,600 Thai exporters to become exporters of BCG products next year and raise more than 517 million baht in trade values.
According to Mr Phusit, the department's so-called BCG development scheme will be divided into three phases, with the focus on five target products comprising future food, pet food, packaging, lifestyle products and cosmetics.
The first phase will centre upon human resource and product development as well as innovation promotion. Training programmes run by the New Economy Academy (NEA), which is under the International Trade Promotion Department, will be altered to enhance BCG knowledge in areas such as modern agriculture, e-commerce, upskilling and reskilling and e-learning.
Mr Phusit said the department will have BCG development projects such as an incubation scheme for BCG entrepreneurs, enhancement programmes for herbal entrepreneurs and printing and packaging to export products.
Meanwhile, the second phase will focus on public relations and the building up of the image of Thai BCG products through online and offline channels domestically and overseas under the BCG #BetheChange campaign.
The third phase will focus on sales promotion campaigns through leading domestic and international online platforms, a linkage on Thaitrade.com and via online business matching.
BCG is currently a global trend and on Thailand's national agenda.
Under the national agenda, Thailand aims to raise the BCG export volume to 4.4 trillion baht by 2024, making up 24% of the gross domestic product (GDP) from 3.4 trillion baht or 21% of GDP in 2020.
The Board of Investment last week reported the investment value of projects related to the BCG economic model reached 677 billion baht as of September.
