Krabi palm/rubber farmers urged to grow coffee as Asia’s thirst rises
Palm and rubber farmers in Krabi province have been urged to grow coffee instead, as demand for the beverage is rising faster in Asia than in other parts of the world.
Krabi’s coffee is now gaining international attention thanks to its certification as a Geographical Indication (GI) product, Deputy Commerce Minister Sinit Lertkrai said on Tuesday. Sinit was reporting on his visit to a coffee-processing community enterprise in Krabi’s Khlong Thom Nua, which he hailed as a triumph for the ministry’s GI policy.
"We wanted this policy to improve farmers' quality of life, and we succeeded," he said.
He said he now expects Krabi's coffee to gain global attention, boosting Thailand's soft power along the way.
Thanawat Phukaoluan, adviser to the agriculture minister, thanked the Agriculture and Commerce ministries for certifying Krabi coffee as a GI product, saying this had helped increase its value and expand Thailand's coffee market.
The coffee business is popular among entrepreneurs and investors after being named among outstanding businesses this year, he said, citing data from trade fair exhibitor Informa Markets.
The value of Thailand’s coffee is expected to hit 60 billion baht soon, he added.
This should prompt the government to encourage palm and rubber farmers to grow coffee instead, Thanawat said.
Coffee consumption in Asia has risen 1.5% over the past five years, beating Europe’s 0.5% rise and the US’s 1.2%, he said.
He added that Asia would become the global cafe business hub in the future.
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