Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said on Friday that the strategy would start to be implemented next year.

The goal was to promote and back service-business growth, as well as encourage farmers’ development under the “Farmers 4.0” model, which involves them not only growing crops, but also distributing them and drawing up marketing plans for their own produce, she said.

The “Commerce 4.0” strategy was also aimed at increasing efficiency in the ministry’s various works, in accordance with the 20-year national development strategy, she added.

Priority tasks for the ministry would be to stress a trading revolution, such as by developing trading in the service sector; solve export problems; promote trade growth through international negotiations; create and develop small and medium-sized enterprises into modern business operators; solve problems related to copyright and patent registration; and support the ministry’s One Stop Service.

It will also drive a “One Roof” policy for regional growth; amend business laws and enforce the Secured Transactions Act; control the cost of living; monitor the prices of agricultural goods; develop products to serve varied demand; and build community markets.

Trade in services was a key focus in the ministry’s plan, as the sector had grown strongly despite the global slowdown, Apiradi said.

The International Monetary Fund has projected that the value of trade in services in the world market will grow by 2.5 per cent this year, in line with the expansion of the sector in the first quarter, which was up strongly by 8.1 per cent, compared with 0.9-per-cent year-on-year expansion during the first quarter of 2015.

The service sector contributes 60.8 per cent of the Kingdom’s gross domestic product.

To promote trade in services, the ministry has divided service businesses into three categories.

The first comprises support-service businesses, such as for engineering, architecture, research and development, and logistics, as they could increase value added for the manufacturing sector. The second category covers services that can generate income by themselves, including tourism, recreation, construction and healthcare.

The final category is modern services, which covers service businesses that focus on technology and innovation, while helping to increase the value added to Thai products and services.

The Commerce Ministry will also support service-business growth by amending rules and regulations as well as laws, in order to facilitate service-business growth, Apiradi said.

In the agricultural sector, meanwhile, the ministry plans to promote farmers under the “Farmers 4.0” model, which will focus on increasing farmers’ competency in trading and marketing and turning them into “smart” farmers, the minister said.

Community markets, trading villages and farm outlets will be developed as distribution channels, so that farmers do not have to rely solely on the export market, which offers uncertain returns. This strategy would help cut risks and balance trading channels for farmers, as well as boost local economic growth, she added.