Food Loss and Food Waste Management

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Key Stakeholders: Shareholders/ Suppliers/ Customers and Consumers/ Government and Civil Society Sectors

Mitr Phol recognizes that food loss and waste reflect wasted investment as they lead to the unnecessary use of resources, such as raw materials, labor, energy, and water, without delivering any value. They can also limit access to food for vulnerable groups and contribute to methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas. At Mitr Phol, food or sugar loss can occur at any stage from sugarcane cultivation to consumer use. Therefore, effective management to reduce food loss and waste not only helps cut costs through better resource efficiency but also improves overall operational performance.

2024 Target and Performance

	Target	Performance
The ratio of total food loss and food waste to the total amount of sugar sold	0.20 tons/ton of sugar sold	0.18 tons/ton of sugar sold

Management Approach

Committed to reducing food loss and waste throughout the production process in an efficient and sustainable manner, Mitr Phol has announced a Food Loss and Waste Policy to provide clear guidance for employees and ensure management practices are aligned with the Company’s principles. The policy supports sustainable production and consumption across the entire supply chain through the following approaches:

Reduction of Sugar Loss Before Crushing

Selecting high-quality sugarcane varieties that are suited to local climate and soil conditions helps improve resistance to diseases and pests, reducing the risk of damage and preserving both quality and sucrose content in sugarcane. Proper care during the growth phase, including appropriate irrigation and fertilization, weed control, and pruning, promotes healthy development and efficient photosynthesis, leading to greater sugar accumulation and reduced sugar loss before crushing.

Collaborative projects with partners to harvest sugarcane at the optimal time, when fully ripe and with the highest sucrose content, help produce high-quality products and prevent losses due to sucrose decomposition. The Company has partnered with upstream stakeholders to implement the following activities.

- The company’s policy to procure fresh sugarcane leaves from farmers: Mitr Phol has implemented a policy to purchase fresh sugarcane leaves from farmers for over seven years, encouraging green sugarcane harvesting practices and helping preserve sugarcane quality as burning reduces both sucrose content and overall product quality. In 2024, the Company launched the “Namo Tad Sod” campaign, an environmentally friendly initiative marking the start of the production season. The campaign involved proactive engagement with farmers through accessible and relatable communication channels, including vibrant signage around factories and key community areas, eye-catching stickers and banners, and promotional signs on the backs of trucks to enhance visibility throughout farming zones. T-shirts featuring the “Namo Tad Sod” logo were also distributed to network farmers to build a stronger sense of connection to fresh harvesting practices. In addition, the Company used both mainstream and social media platforms to expand public awareness through targeted content.

- The “From Cut to Crush” management approach leverages technology to streamline queue coordination between farmers and sugarcane transporters. The goal is to control the time from harvesting in the field to delivery at the mill, targeted at no more than 8 hours. Currently, this process is managed within 4 to 6 hours after harvest. A GPS tracking system is used to monitor the location of sugarcane transport vehicles, enabling efficient route planning and reducing unproductive waiting time at the mill. This helps minimize losses in cane sweetness, measured as Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS), and prevents unnecessary sugar degradation. As a result, farmers benefit from improved sugarcane quality and better prices.

Reduction of Sugar Loss During Production

การสูญเสียอาหารและขยะอาหารในกระบวนการหีบอ้อยและการผลิตน้ำตาล

Operations in the sugarcane crushing and sugar production processes lead to sugar loss at various stages, as illustrated in the diagram above. To address this, the Company has developed a sugar loss database in compliance with the regulations of the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board. This database tracks sugar loss associated with bagasse, filter cake, molasses, and unidentified causes, such as leakage, microbial activity, heat, and wastewater discharge. Data is monitored in real-time via a dashboard, enabling ongoing analysis and continuous improvement of production planning to enhance operational efficiency.

Food Loss and Waste	2021	2022	2023	2024	2024 Target
The ratio of total food loss and food waste to the total amount of sugar sold	0.222	0.196	0.18	0.184	0.201

Unit: tons/ ton of sugar sold

Reduction of Sugar Loss During Transportation

Employee Training on Safety and Quality Standards for Food Production

Mitr Phol has organized training on safety and quality standards for food production for two consecutive years to enhance employees’ knowledge and promote the practical application of international standards in daily operations. First launched in 2023, the training covers key topics such as GMP, HACCP, ISO 9001, FSSC 22000 (Version 6.0), as well as food loss and waste management. In 2024, sessions were conducted for employees at the Company’s headquarters and seven sugar mills. Additional training is planned for 2025 to further reinforce these topics for staff at the headquarters and the Kalasin Sugar Mill.

Related Policy and Statements

Food Loss and Food Waste Policy

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