Thailand has approved the export of roasted coffee beans and coffee products that combine domestically produced beans with imported ones in order to increase coffee exporting opportunities for the country.
Previously, only processed coffee products made from imported raw coffee beans could be exported.
According to deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek, the cabinet on Tuesday approved a draft announcement of the Commerce Ministry that permits Thai entrepreneurs to export roasted coffee beans and coffee products produced from a combination of domestically produced and imported raw coffee beans.
Following the change, roasted coffee beans could be a combination of raw coffee beans imported from countries such as Brazil or Kenya, for example, and domestically produced raw coffee beans, such as the Arabica variety which is mainly produced in the northern region, and the Robusta variety which is mainly produced in the southern region.
According to Ms Rachada, the approved draft announcement also calls for the addition of a definition of "roasted coffee beans" which means coffee beans -- both ground and unground -- that have been roasted. This had previously not been defined.
Other important aspects of the content remain unchanged, such as coffee being a product that requires a permit for export, and coffee being a product that requires a certificate of origin according to the International Coffee Organization regulations, which is issued by the Department of Foreign Trade.
According to Ms Rachada, the Commerce Ministry's announcement which requires coffee to be a product that must be authorised and requires certification for export would help encourage coffee entrepreneurs to export processed coffee products made from raw coffee beans produced domestically.
This would increase the variety of coffee products available for export and meet consumer demands, which would add value to the production of roasted coffee beans domestically, as they could now be mixed with imported beans and increase export opportunities, she said.
