Uggah leads Betong Division Development Agency on agricultural study, benchmarking tour in Thailand

KUCHING (Sept 3): Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is currently leading the Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) Innovation and Socioeconomic Projects Steering Committee on a week-long study and benchmarking tour to Thailand.

Joining him on the tour were two MPs and seven state elected representatives as well as civil servants from relevant departments, according to a press statement.

Uggah, who is BDDA chairman, and his delegation paid a visit to Talaad Thai and Or Tor Kor, two prominent fresh farm products and local delicacies markets near the sprawling city of Bangkok city on Monday.

Talaad Thai, which has around 100,000 participating traders, is the biggest agriculture wholesale market in the Asean region. Situated on a 101-hectare site in Pathun Thani, it handles some 12,000 ton of agricultural products daily, with a daily revenue of 290 million Baht (around RM37 million).

The group today visited the Betagro Science Centre in Lopburi Province, an ISO/IEC 17075 certified food and animal testing lab.

To get a closer insight into the Thai coconut industry, Uggah and his delegation will visit the Thai Coconut Co., Ltd in Ratchaburi as well as its processing plant on Wednesday. The company produces and exports high quality coconut products both locally and internationally.

For an agrotourism perspective and experience, they will also be visiting Chokchai Farm, Saithong Farm and Punawapan Farm on Thursday.

Chokchai Farm specialises in dairy farming, producing high quality fresh milk, cheese, yogurt, and others while Saithong Farm is into fruits farming, especially mangoes. Punawapan Farm, on the other hand, produces the kingdom standard for high quality table grape production.

These farms are among the top agro-tourism destinations in Thailand.

The delegation’s tour will end on Friday with visits to the Phenix Mall and the Big C Ratchadamari Gourmet Market.

Both are fully integrated food wholesale and lifestyle hubs located in the city centre. Here, over 2,400 companies from around the world make their presence, offering varieties and quality products at wholesome prices.