Thailand Launches “Sugar Ecolabel” to Drive Sustainable, Low-Emission Sugar Production

The Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB), in collaboration with the National Food Institute and ISO Certification Institute, has launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming Thailand’s sugar industry. The new project, titled “Development of Environmental Labelling Guidelines for the Cane and Sugar Industry to Reduce Burnt Cane and PM2.5 Pollution,” introduces the “Sugar Ecolabel”—a certification mark designed to promote “low-emission sugar” in response to global sustainability trends and to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness in the international market.

Mr. Bainoi Suwanchatri, Secretary-General of the OCSB, stated at the launch that the global sugar industry is undergoing a paradigm shift—from being treated solely as “a commodity to becoming a sustainable product.” He emphasized that many countries, particularly in the European Union, are implementing stricter green trade barriers, including requirements for carbon footprint data and Ecolabel certification, as well as enforcing bans on cane burning. Brazil has already phased out cane burning since 2017, while China is targeting a 50% reduction in cane burning by 2030.

The Sugar Ecolabel aims to create a market-driven mechanism, encouraging sustainable production through consumer demand—much like Thailand’s successful Energy-Saving Label No. 5. This ecolabel is envisioned as a key strategic tool to align Thailand’s sugar sector with global environmental expectations.

The event featured a panel discussion titled “Zero Burn – Zero Barrier: Transitioning the Sugar Industry Towards a Greener Future,” with Mr. Komkrit Nakaluk, Assistant Managing Director of Sustainability Management at Mitr Phol Sugar, sharing practical insights on eliminating cane burning and integrating Smart Farming technologies to enhance the value chain in sugarcane and sugar production.

Dr. Supawan Teerarat, Director of the National Food Institute, and Mr. Thawatch Haman, Director of Strategy and Planning Division at the OCSB, also presented the potential of Ecolabel and Carbon Credit standards to drive value-added innovation within the cane and sugar sector, supporting Thailand’s broader transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.