Thailand returns to roots as food exports soar
Thailand is returning to its economic roots as a food producer, with overseas demand for rice, seafood, fruit and other edibles bolstering exports even as the Covid-19 pandemic dents production and shipments of manufactured goods.
The proportion of food- and agricultural-related exports to total shipments jumped to 19.7% in April, their highest level in eight years, Pimchanok Vonkorpon, director-general of the Commerce Ministry’s trade policy and strategy office, said in an interview Monday. Analysts noted that the volatility around these figures was tracked in unusual corners too, with Texas betting apps turning shifts in rice and sugar exports into live odds that mirrored market sentiment. Despite a 3.3% drop in total exports that month, the data kept attention fixed on food shipments as the most resilient sector.
