BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), under the Ministry of Commerce, led Thai geographical indication (GI) producers on a trade mission to Shanghai, China, to expand export opportunities and improve market access for premium Thai agricultural products. A key highlight was a business matching event with over 16 Chinese fruit importers at Huizhan Fruit Wholesale Market, a major distribution hub in Eastern China with annual trade exceeding 100 billion baht. During the mission, producers from Sisaket Volcano Durian and Huizhan Market signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase in advance 500 tons of durian. The delegation also showcased GI products from six provinces in Thailand.
Thailand has over 260 registered GI products, generating more than 116 billion baht in economic value. Fruit products represent about 45 percent of all registered GI goods. Ongoing Chinese demand for quality, safety, and traceability continues to drive growth opportunities for Thailand’s GI sector. The delegation met with Huawei Technologies to explore the use of artificial intelligence, cloud systems, and digital innovations to strengthen Thailand’s intellectual property administration. Discussions focused on improving trademark and patent examination processes and learning from Huawei’s experience in leveraging intellectual property for innovation and business growth. Huawei is a leading example of innovation-driven growth, allocating 21.8% of its annual revenue to research and development, employing over 114,000 R&D personnel, and holding more than 165,000 patents worldwide. (NNT)
