Mr. Peerapan Kothong, Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), revealed this after presiding over the academic seminar on high-value agricultural products using Agri-Tech under the project "Agricultural Sector Management for Value Creation and Market Opportunities" on June 24, 2026, at the Sri Plang Meeting Room, 8th Floor, Vision Building, Office of Agricultural Economics. The seminar served as a platform to present research findings, exchange knowledge, and gather feedback from all sectors on developing high-value agricultural products using agricultural technology and innovation, or Agri-Tech. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives prioritizes the concept of "Agricultural Innovation for the Sustainability of Thai Farmers" to elevate the Thai agricultural sector to high-value agriculture. This utilizes technology, innovation, and agricultural economic data as tools to increase production efficiency, create added value, and connect agricultural products to better meet market and consumer demands.

Many Thai agricultural products are still classified as basic commodities, placing farmers in the position of "price recipients" from market mechanisms. Therefore, upgrading agricultural products must focus on creating added value from their unique selling points, such as nutritional value, key nutrients, specific product characteristics, local identity, and processing opportunities. To further develop high-value agricultural products with ready markets, this seminar presents preliminary research findings from researchers at the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) Regions 1-12 on four target agricultural products: pineapple, avocado, rice, and Cavendish banana. These products have potential for development in different dimensions, including processing, branding, specialized product development, market linkages, and the use of technology and innovation to upgrade product quality.

Mr. Peerapan added that the key to the study is the creation of a business model suitable for each product and the context of each area. This considers production potential, costs, product standards, farmer readiness, investment return, and market opportunities, ensuring that development proposals are practical and not merely academic concepts. The OAE also emphasizes the concept of a Positive List, or verifiable information on key characteristics of agricultural products, to build confidence for the processing industry, entrepreneurs, and consumers. For example, having verifiable nutritional information from the farm to the processing plant will increase opportunities for Thai agricultural products to expand into high-value markets such as health products, cosmetics, or specialized products in the future.

At the same time, value creation must consider Value Capture, or the transfer of added value back to the upstream farmers. That is, once technology and innovation have been used to increase the value of the product, it must be transferred back to the farmers. Farmers should benefit from appropriately added value to ensure the sustainable development of the agricultural commodity chain, fostering growth for farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers alike. The event included an exhibition showcasing four high-value agricultural products utilizing Agri-Tech, along with a seminar on "Guidelines for Developing Collaborative Management of High-Value Processed Agricultural Products using Agricultural Technology and Innovation (Agri-Tech)." Representatives from the private sector, educational institutions, government, and farmers exchanged views on marketing, innovation, processing, and value-added strategies. Preliminary research findings on the four target products were presented, followed by a forum for feedback to refine the research and translate them into practical applications. The research focused on business analysis, consumer behavior studies, and market trends based on data collected from over 1,600 samples. It also synthesized approaches to develop new business models, providing farmers, entrepreneurs, and relevant agencies with information to make informed decisions about production, processing, and market linkages, tailored to regional potential. This aims to reduce investment risks associated with blind trends and increase opportunities to fairly benefit from added product value.

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