SMS joined the World Tapioca Conference Underlining the Value-Added of Tapioca Toward Sustainability

February 23-25th, SMS attended the world tapioca conference held by Department of Foreign Trade and Ministry of Commerce at Nakhon Rachasima, Thailand by having Dr. Werawat Lertwanawatana (the vice president of TTSA and CEO of SMS Group) as keynote speaker.

At the conference, there were more than 1,000 attendees from the tapioca industry including public, private, and government both domestic and international.
Dr. Werawat highlighted ‘the sustainability of tapioca production and trade’ at the dinner talk. The vice president pointed out the top three global problems; plastic waste, obesity, and protein security, which can be solved with tapioca innovation. Since tapioca is a renewable and bio-based material, tapioca manufacturers have a wide range of opportunities to develop and add value instead of a traditional product.

Moreover, Dr. Werawat also emphasized the ‘prospects of Thai Tapioca’, which should be implemented to gain competitiveness through agriculture sustainability. The strength of this approach is to develop every dimension of the cassava supply chain, including farmers & societies, economics, and the environment, by conducting sustainable agriculture. The regenerative agriculture will focus on soil health and farm ecosystem including minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, following crop rotation, and integrating livestock.

At the end of agenda, Dr. Dusit Pittayakul (secretary of the association) and Mr. Akom Thanyasonti had welcomed participant to take a field trip to Chaiyaphum Plant Products Co., Ltd, demonstrating the sustainable approach that will push forward tapioca industry to the global level.

On behalf of Thai Tapioca Starch Association member, we commit to contributing greater value to Thailand’s tapioca products to reinforce the capacity to meet the global need, potentially and sustainably.