Commerce ministry follows late King's path to develop local communities

NONTHABURI, Nov 20 (TNA) – The Commerce Ministry follows the late King’s advice to apply market-oriented approach in generating sustainable income for local communities such as hilltribe people on Doi Chang village in the northern province of Chiang Rai. Commerce Minister, Apiradee Tantraporn said that hilltribe people on Doi Chang turned to grow temperate crops and fruits to replace opium poppies as supported by the royal projects, initiated by King Bhumibol. Arabica coffee seedlings were distributed to hilltribe people in the North of Thailand in 1983, so farmers on Doi Chang in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sruay district shifted to grow coffee trees and stopped slash and burn farming practice. Now, Doi Change coffee beans are produced on 8,000 acres of land on Doi Chang, creating sustainable income for Akha hill tribe people. Doi Chang coffee, planted on the highland at 1,000-1,700 metres above the sea level was registered for Geographical Indication (GI) certification with the Department of Intellectual Property in 2006. The European Union also granted GI certification for Doi Chang coffee in July last year. (TNA)