Rice is the main source of staple food in Thailand. Thailand produced more than 31.6 million tones of rice in 2011–2012. In Thailand, the rice research focuses on breeding of new varieties in order to maximize the crop yield, resistant to disease and high growth rate.
Nowadays, people are increasingly concerned about their health and quality of life. Processed food receives now less attention from consumers. Fresh food, minimally processed food, or food that contains special ingredients needed for specific purposes are becoming more popular.