Southern province boasts many success stories of integrated farming and value addition
PUBLISHED : 1 Aug 2024 at 20:18
Phatthalung has been chosen as the southern hub for an agricultural product development project by the Thailand Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trade of Thailand and the provincial chamber of commerce.
At least eight farm products from Phatthalung have won the government’s Product Champion Award.
The province is touted as an example of how local farmers can produce more than one quality product with added value under an integrated system and distribute their products to the rest of the country to generate higher income.
The eight products are Sang Yot rice, aromatic bananas, salak (sometimes known as snake fruit), beef, organic pork, Sam Nam prawns, fermented catfish and Kra Chut sedge, said Kittiphit Klapkhun, president of the provincial chamber of commerce.
In Pa Bon district, for instance, Uncle Than’s Salak Plantation is a an agrotourism promotion that has brought more value to traditional agricultural practice, he said. The salak plantation has also won the Young Smart Farmer Award for its work in adopting the Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model, he said.
In Bang Kaeo district, a group of farmers has adopted an integrated farming system for growing aromatic bananas and other chemical-free fruits inside their rubber plantation, Mr Kittiphit said.
This way, the rubber growers can earn income from selling fruit in addition to what they normally earn selling rubber, he said.
“We now aim to distribute more of these products to the rest of the country so Phatthalung is recognised as an agricultural product hub of the South,” he said.
Products from the province will be transported via both Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand routes, he said, adding that Phatthalung will also promote its farm products to buyers in other parts of the country.
As well, he said, a public-private working group will be set up to help farmers with their business needs.