Bangkok--29 May--GMS Core Agriculture Support Program Phase 2
GMS, or the Greater Mekong Subregion, comprising Cambodia, Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, is a major food-producing region. The GMS has comparative advantages in specific food supply, built upon its abundant natural resources, low costs of production, proximity to large markets, and a variety of unique food items produced in the region. These advantages have yet to be harnessed to their fullest potentials.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) of the Core Agriculture Support Program Phase 2 (CASP 2) are organizing a series of events on the theme, "Discover GMS: Asia's Natural Hub." These will be held at the Thaifex World of Food 2017 at Bangkok's Impact Exhibition Center from 31 May to 4 June. More than 40,000 foreign and local food traders and retailers, food service and logistics providers, and food consumers are expected to visit the trade fair.
The GMS WGA will have a food products pavilion. It will showcase about 200 safe and environment-friendly food products by 35 small and medium food companies in the region. Market matching activities are lined up during the fair. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and the Minster of Commerce together with government officials from the GMS, ADB and other development partners will officially open the GMS Pavilion for business on 31 May .
Chefs from each GMS country will demonstrate traditional recipes using safe and environment-friendly food ingredients. GMS coffee and tea infusions will also be served for tasting at the GMS Pavilion.
Two GMS-themed policy forums are scheduled on 31 May and 1 June. The theme is GMS as One: Regional Approaches to Food Safety and Market Access. The forums will discuss the public and private as well as public-private initiatives toward harmonizing food safety and food quality for improved global market access of GMS food products.