Two new rice strains officially certified in Thailand

BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) - Thailand's Rice Department, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has officially certified two new rice strains with high produce and quality. Rice Department Director-General Anant Suwanarat told journalists of the update on Wednesday, saying that the two newly-developed rice strains, named Ko Kho 77 rice and Luang Yai 48 native rice, are expected to enhance the national competitiveness on the regional and global rice markets. Anant acknowledged that the new Ko Kho 77 rice strain, with its low amylose of 16-34 per cent, soft and fittingly-sticky properties, as well as high produce at the maximum of 983 kilograms/rai (2.5 rai = 1 acre), despite its no fragrance, has been developed by a rice research center in Bangkok's neighboring Pathum Thani Province, in cooperation with Bangkok-based Kasetsart University, since 2002 and has gained a high demand in such neighboring countries as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore in the ASEAN Community (AC). Anant stated that for the Luang Yai 48 native rice strain, with its middle level of amylose, absorbent and mellow properties, as well as a high protein of 9.27 per cent and high produce of 401-560 kilograms per rai, has been developed by a rice research center in Prachin Buri Province in the central region since 2003 and has also been popular in other adjacent central Thai provinces. According to the senior official, both of the newly-developed, high quality Thai rice strains should be grown in pest-free fields and the Ko Kho 77 rice alone should also be grown in areas of a well-irrigation system for its produce within 105-115 days. The senior official noted that the Luang Yai 48 native rice, on the other hand, is tolerable to both dry and inundated conditions and is also suitable for further produced as processed, more value-added rice products. (TNA)