With its agrarian base as the bedrock, the economy has experienced steady growth. The introduction of improved technology and marketing expertise has made Thailand a world leader in the sales of staple commodities. It has also transformed the country into a fast-rising manufacturer of sophisticated products built to international standards which find ready acceptance in world markets. In April or May, farmers start planting seedlings in their well-ploughed fields. By late November or early December, cooperative work groups use sickles to harvest the crops.
Cut rice is threshed, and the paddy is then ready to be winnowed and taken to market.
Thailand's primary money earners in the late 1970s were the crops grown on its rich land. Today agricultural products are produced in such quantities that in many commodities the country ranks as the world's number one supplier. Thus besides being the world's foremost exporter of tapioca and rice, it is a leader in the production of frozen shrimp, canned pineapple, natural rubber and sugar. In recent years in fact, manufacturing has surpassed agricultural products in Thailand's GNP, while tourism has replaced agricultural products as Thailand's largest source of foreign exchange. The country's rich reserves of minerals are eagerly sought by the world's industries.