Thailand’s Business Giants Unite to Stamp Out Agricultural Burning

Thailand’s leading businesses and public institutions joined forces on Wednesday to tackle one of the country’s most persistent environmental crises, signing a landmark declaration committing to full agricultural supply chain traceability as a systemic solution to smog and PM2.5 pollution caused by open burning.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce, alongside major conglomerates including CP Group, Mitr Phol, Nestlé, and Khao Hong Thong rice brand, spearheaded the initiative, which brought together more than 100 organisations spanning the private sector, government ministries, academic institutions and civil society groups.

The declaration was announced on Earth Day to signal a collective shift towards burn-free agricultural sourcing.

At the heart of the pledge is the adoption of traceability systems — digital mechanisms enabling raw materials such as rice, maize and sugarcane to be tracked from farm to factory.

Participating companies said they would deploy satellite data to detect hotspots, GPS coordinates to map farmland plots, and blockchain technology to create tamper-proof records across their supply chains.

Dr Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the PM2.5 crisis was deeply intertwined with agricultural burning and required intervention at the very source of production.

“Traceability as a shared standard will make the origins of raw materials clearly verifiable and strengthen collective responsibility across the supply chain,” he said, adding that the move would align Thailand’s agricultural sector with international standards.

Thiti Lujintanon, Chief Executive Officer of CP’s Feed Ingredients Business and Chief Executive Officer of Bangkok Produce Merchandising said traceability had been established as the core standard for the group’s sourcing operations.

“Bangkok Produce connects data from farmers and aggregators all the way through to the factory, using satellite technology, hotspot detection and blockchain, with independent verification,” he said. “Every batch of feed maize must be traceable, and must have no connection to burning or forest encroachment.”

He added that the company had set a firm condition to refuse purchases from any supplier — domestic or foreign — unable to demonstrate traceable origins, using market mechanisms to drive change at the source and raise supply chain standards across the region in the long term.

Dr Vallop Manathanya, chairman of the Bangsue Chia Meng Rice Mill and owner of the Khao Hong Thong brand, noted that transparency over the origins of rice was increasingly essential for export market confidence.

“Our buyers abroad need assurance, and traceability in our sourcing and production processes gives us that credibility,” he said.

The declaration encompasses seven commitments: pursuing zero burning, achieving 100 per cent traceability coverage, promoting sustainable production practices, complying with laws and international standards, fostering participation across the supply chain, maintaining transparent data disclosure, and driving continuous innovation.