US Soybean Council expands collaboration to boost food security in the ASEAN region

Three US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) representatives were in Bangkok recently to announce their commitment to helping Thailand and the region bolster their food security measures, with a particular focus on soybean production. This commitment follows the Thai government’s pledge to boost soybean production in the country for domestic consumption and industrial use. Since taking office, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has spoken about the country’s strategic vision on various platforms, underscoring his mission to raise productivity. This endeavour includes revising the Public Health Ministry’s Notification No 431, which governs the production, import, and sale of genetically modified organisms (GMO) soybeans, thereby permitting the cultivation of GMO soybeans within Thailand. Currently, only non-GMO beans are permitted for domestic cultivation, and all GMO soybeans are imported. Timothy Loh, USSEC regional director for Southeast Asia and Oceania, who was in Bangkok on March 22, ...