PM praises Thai prize winner startup firm helping famers

BANGKOK, July 22 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has praised Siam Organic Co, Ltd, a new startup company which aims to end farmers’ poverty, was mamed the winner of the Chivas Venture competition at the Los Angeles Design Centre in the US, said a government spokesman. Spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaeokamnerd said the prime minister is pleased to learn that Siam Organic, a brand that works with small-scale farmers to grow Jasberry rice, a new variety of non-GMO whole grain rice, won the first prize among the 30 candidates in the competition. Gen Prayut hoped that Siam Organic would become a model for startup business in helping developing the quality of life of agriculturists in the country, said Lt Gen Sansern. Gen Prayut has stressed several times that over 17 million of Thai farmers have confronted with high production costs, but their incomes are low, he said. The main reasons are poor quality of seedlings, an uncertainty of market demand and low yields. Siam Organic has worked closely with Thai farmers in growing non-GMO whole grain rice following a joint research by the National Research Council of Thailand and Kasetsart University in solving seedling problem, said Lt Gen Sansern. On marketing, the problem is solved by buying the rice from farmers directly and its prices are twice higher than the fragance Hom Mali, the most popular rice in the country, in an attempt to persuade farmers to join the network, he said. The Chivas Venture is whisky brand Chivas Regal’s US$1 million global search to find and support the next generation of startups that are striving to use innovation and enterprise to make the world a better place. Now in its third year, the Chivas Venture has to date received almost 6,000 applications from startups. (TNA)