Amid the gloomy export prospects this year, shipments of food and gems and jewellery remain promising, with growth of about 5% for both industries.
According to Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, who called a joint meeting with the food, gems and jewellery, and automobile industries, food exports are expected to grow by 5% at the year-end from Us$27.2 billion last year.
Gems and jewellery shipments are also projected to grow 5% from $7.18 billion in 2015.
However, the joint meeting found the performance of automotive and auto parts exports is likely to stay in a contraction of around 1% from $31.34 billion last year. The drop is largely due to lower shipments to the Middle East, which has beet hard hit by falling oil prices.
According to Mrs Apiradi, despite overall food exports falling by 5.9% in the first eight months to $20.70 billion, higher purchase demand for shrimp, frozen and processed chicken, canned tuna and fresh fruits and vegetables are expected to help shore up the food sector to growth in the remaining months.
Shrimp shipments are expected to increase 8% this year to copy.6 billion, with those of frozen and processed chicken set to grow 4.5% to $2.5 billion, canned tuna to increase 4% to $2.4 billion, and fresh fruits and vegetables up 3% to $1.6 billion.
The Commerce Ministry through the International Trade Promotion Department also plans to invite potential buyers from across the world to take part in business-matching activities for Thai rice and tapioca from Nov13-16.
Despite the murky global economic prospects, Thailand's gems and jewellery exports are expected to grow this year because of their high quality and wide price range, said Mrs Apiradi.
The ministry reported shipments of gems and jewellery including gold rose 42.6% in the first eight months to copy0.37 billion. Excluding gold, the export value contracted 2.6% for the period to $4.54 billion.
Surapong Paisitpatanapong, spokesman for the automotive industry club of the Federation of Thai Industries, said despite higher exports in the first eight months, exports of automobiles are still full of risks particularly from the negative impact of Britain's exit from the European Union, the baht's appreciation and low oil prices.