Thailand Boosts Rice Innovation with 'Rainbow' Rice to Outshine Rivals

[snoop1130]

File photo for reference only

 

Thailand's rice industry is taking innovative steps to enhance its global standing amid lower yields compared to major Asian producers. The country faces a notable gap, with average rice yields at 400 to 500 kilogrammes per rai, starkly contrasted by Vietnam and China's yields exceeding 1,000 kilogrammes per rai. Despite this disparity, Thailand aims to capitalise on its famed jasmine rice and niche varieties to rewrite its narrative in the global rice market.

 

The Department of Rice plans to elevate the status of Thai rice through targeted marketing and creative agricultural zoning. By promoting coloured and indigenous rice varieties, officials hope to tap into niche markets and position these products as luxury items. High-value rice varieties, such as coloured rice, only make up 5 to 10% of Thailand’s production but have gained popularity, particularly in China, for their unique health benefits.

 

In a move to increase appeal, seven new varieties of coloured rice, collectively known as 'rainbow rice', are set for a 2024 debut. These varieties, featuring an array of vibrant colours, will be creatively planted in fields, forming captivating designs to attract tourists and increase awareness. Partnerships with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will see these rice patterns integrated into tourism campaigns.

 

 

Beyond aesthetics, coloured rice farming offers promising financial prospects. Farmers can tap into various income streams, from selling protein-rich leaves to producing animal feed, providing significant economic benefits. The Department of Rice is actively encouraging this practice, especially in the Mukdahan province, to meet burgeoning demand.

 

While yields for traditional rice varieties might lag behind regional counterparts, Thailand's inventive strategies demonstrate a determined pivot towards quality and uniqueness to capture the attention of affluent markets, thus shaping a new narrative for Thai rice on the international stage.

 

-- 2024-12-09

 

 

[Pouatchee]

so now gay pride has overtaken the rice production industry?

[NoDisplayName]

They should put a chick in it, and make her lame.

[kickstart]

This subject of lower rice yields in Thailand use to comes up often over in the farming Forum, the sense of opinion is that the land lack a lot of organic matter, any form of animal manure, needless to say would help, but the problem of mono culture of rice is the problem ,rice is a cereal crop ,it will use up all the soil nutrients.

To solve the problem a crop of say Mung beans or Sun Hemp, both legume crops grown to say 60 days then ploughed in, can be done before the main rice planting or after harvest, would help.

Why is it not done? cost of seed and planting, then ploughing the crop in, never done it before afraid it will not work  ,the government will pay us 1000 baht/rie ,up to 10 rie ,that will do me or been doing this job for X years now not going to change now.

Yields will continue to drop Thailand will drop further down the table of rice exporters, just hoping as the OP said the famous Thai Jasmin rice will sort them out which it will, but for how much longer, most of that comes from Issan, where they are most of the above problems. 

[Briggsy]

Is this rice berry repackaged as rainbow rice?