Cargill, Inc., Minneapolis, announced plans to invest more than $70 million over the next two years to increase Thailand’s demand of seafood and poultry consumption. This includes technology implementation into the poultry supply chain, additional funds for the Technology Application Center for research and development for the aquaculture industry and the expansion of a cooked poultry facility in Nakornratchasima, Thailand. The company will also upgrade and refurbish an aqua feed production plant in Petchaburi.

“These planned investments demonstrate our commitment to the communities and people of Thailand. We appreciate the Thai government’s support of direct foreign investment, which has allowed companies like Cargill to grow with the Thai economy and community over the last 50 years. By investing in technology innovation, we can make our supply chains as efficient and sustainable as possible – as we work to nourish those in Thailand and around the world,” says Dave MacLennan, chairman and CEO.

The investments also include efforts to equip more than 1,500 farmers with agricultural technical knowledge and training. Cargill also works with local partners such as Save the Children Thailand to create nutrition initiatives for school-aged children, and has been providing clean drinking water stations for schools, continually supporting schools around the company’s facilities and building homes for rural residents.

Cargill has operated in Thailand for 50 years, opening of its first office in 1968. To date, it has invested more than $1.15 billion into its operations across various businesses during its expansion and growth through the years, and currently maintains 14 facilities throughout the country with more than 17,000 employees.