This new wave of coronavirus is a sombre reminder that the pandemic remains the test of the century for Thailand. A country dependent on tourism, Thailand’s many industries have suffered as a result of business restrictions and border closures. Responsible for more than half of the nation’s workforce, the agri-food sector is particularly challenged.
According to a recent report by Oxford Economics, the agri-food industry saw significant unemployment, as well as a 6% contraction in GDP contribution, or a THB 228 billion drop, last year.
This decline underscores the key importance of an agri-food industry that accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s GDP before the pandemic. During the last year, it has also pushed forward Thai exports, and will continue to do so.
According to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), the value of Thai food exports is…
