Nobel laureate Stiglitz leads expert discussions on restoring country as rice bowl of Asia
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Government of the Union of Myanmar today held a wide-ranging dialogue aimed at boosting the countrys agricultural sector and to help it reclaim its status as the rice bowl of Asia.
At the invitation of ESCAP, Nobel Prize-winning economist Prof. Joseph Stiglitz and other eminent experts discussed strategies for Myanmar to cut poverty in light of Asias regional and subregional experiences.
It is my hope these ideas and analysis will open a new space for policy discussion and a further deepening of our development partnership, UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Noeleen Heyzer said at the event held in Myanmars capital, Naypyitaw.
These development objectives can only be achieved through the successful engagement of local experts and people who know what is happening on the ground. This development partnership, requested by the Government of Myanmar, provides a unique platform for eminent international scholars and local researchers to exchange experiences and ideas with government agencies and civil society, Dr. Heyzer added.
This is the second in a series of events launched by Dr. Heyzer during her visit in July to Myanmar, and was organized by ESCAP with the countrys Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development.
In his presentation, Towards a more productive agrarian economy for Myanmar, Professor Stiglitz noted that Myanmar was well-positioned to learn from other countries in the region that have developed on the back of gains in agriculture. There are large opportunities for improvement. Myanmar should take a comprehensive approach, he said.
He urged the Government of Myanmar to: promote access to appropriate agricultural financing; take measures to boost access to seeds and fertilizers; dramatically boost spending on health and education; and create well-paid jobs in construction of rural infrastructure in order to stimulate development and raise incomes and spending.
Professor Stiglitz also noted that well-functioning institutions were critical to success, and that Myanmar could learn from the mistakes made by other resource-rich countries. Revenues from oil and gas can open up a new era, if used well. If not, then valuable opportunities will be squandered, he said.
Economics and politics can not be separated, Professor Stiglitz added. For Myanmar to take a role on the world stage and to achieve true stability and security there must be widespread participation and inclusive processes. This is the only way forward for Myanmar.
Maj. Gen. U Htay Oo, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of Myanmar, noted that climate change has had significant effects on the countrys agriculture and livelihood, particularly in the dry zone. To mitigate such pressure we are implementing short-term and longer term measures, such as promoting access to irrigation water to increase productivity, and developing resource-based as well as knowledge-based sustainable agriculture and livelihoods built on existing infrastructures, he said.
We are adopting a holistic approach informed by the human development perspective to address the needs of the most vulnerable, he added. We cannot afford to be complacent thus the tasks for agriculture and rural development must be implemented through mass movement.
The Minister also welcomed and supported the continued close cooperation and collaboration of ESCAP in the development partnership series. I look forward to the joint activities to come in 2010, in particular the regional development programme for sustainable agriculture towards inclusive rural economy development, he said.
Col. Thurin Zaw, Deputy Minister of National Planning and Economic Development, delivered a presentation on Myanmars National development plans and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The meeting was organized into two segments: The morning roundtable was devoted to expert discussions and included presentations on Recent socio-economic development, by Daw Khin Ma Ma Swe of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, and on Approaches for agriculture and rural development, by Daw Dolly Kyaw of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.
There were also presentations on Establishing the virtuous cycle of food security, sustainable agriculture and rural economy development, by U Tin Htut Oo and U Tin Maung Shwe of the Academy of Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock and Fisheries Sciences, and on Enhancing Myanmars rural economy, by Ikuko Okamoto of the Institute of Developing Economies-JETRO.
The afternoon high-level development forum covered, Economic policies for growth and poverty reduction: lessons from the region and beyond.
On 21 December in Singapore, Professor Stiglitz and Dr Heyzer will hold a press conference about the forum at the Singapore Foreign Correspondents Association. The press conference will take place at the Singapore Management University, Administration Building, from 9am-10am.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Foreign investors continued to be net buyers of Thai stocks for the eight consecutive months
Offshore interest in investing in the Thai capital market continued to expand, as foreign investors have now been net buyers for the eight consecutive months through October 2009. At the same time, daily average trading value continued to rise, reaching a 27-month high. Locally, the number of active trading accounts and trading value per account consistently rose. Nevertheless, worries over the global economic recovery as well as negative rumors in the domestic market led to a drop in The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index and market capitalization.
Meanwhile, daily average trading volume of every product in Thailand Futures Exchange PCL (TFEX) increased, particularly in gold futures, which made a new high for the second consecutive month since it started trading. This rise resulted from investors’ interest in the global gold prices, which continued to increase.
Operating performance of the Banking Sector in Q3/2009 improved, both for the year-on-year and quarter-to-quarter comparison basis. In particular, its net profits rose, while the non-performing loans (NPL) decreased.
Regarding the liberalization of commission fee for stock trading using sliding scale in 2010 and the enforcement of the full liberalization in 2012, the favorable environment and improved structure of Thai securities business today should help them be better prepared for the adjustment, compared to the previous liberalization attempted in 2000. This is due to the increased financial strength of the securities industry, the growth in trading value, the rise in number of trading accounts, the increased variety and diversification of sources of income, and new services and products to meet investors’ needs in every market environment.
1. Performance Overview: Thai vs. regional exchanges
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index as of end-October 2009 decreased by 4.44% from end-September 2009, due to investors’ worries over the global economic recovery combined with negative rumor in the domestic market. The decrease in SET Index resulted in a drop in forward P/E ratio to 11.9 times as of October 30, 2009, which remained among the lowest in the region. Meanwhile, the market dividend yield was at 3.68%, the highest in the region.
2. Summary of Thai capital market performance
In October 2009, the Thai capital market was affected by negative rumor during October 14-15, which resulted in the month’s lowest SET Index at 670.72 on October 15, before rebounding after the news had been clarified. However, at the end of October, SET Index decreased again, in line with other regional exchanges’ indices. As of end-October 2009, SET Index closed at 685.24, down 4.44% from the previous month. On the other hand, the mai Index closed at 209.93, or 4.43% rise from the previous month.
As of October 2009, the total market capitalization of SET and mai was at THB5.5 trillion (approx. USD165.34 billion), a 4.28% drop from end-September 2009, mainly as a result of a decrease in SET Index.
As of October 2009, the number of securities having a price to book value ratio (P/BV) of less than one decreased slightly from 277 securities (as of September) to 275, equivalent to 53.29% of all 516 common stocks.
3. Trading activity
In October 2009, average daily trading value reached its highest level in 27 months. SET and Market for Alternative Investment (mai)’s combined average daily trading value reached THB27.01 billion (approx. USD810.56 million), the highest level in 27 months, or since July 2007, when the daily average trading value stood at THB32.18 billion (approx. USD965.77 million). In October 2009, the total trading value was THB567.33 billion (approx. USD17.02 billion).
Moreover, retail investors were more active than any other investor groups, accounting for 63% of total trading value. Local institutional investors and the securities companies’ proprietary trading held net sell positions, while retail and foreign investors held net buy positions. Foreign investors have had a net buy position for eight consecutive months. During January – October, 2009, foreign investors had a net buy position of THB55.72 billion (approx. USD1.67 billion), compared to a net sell position of THB162.35 billion (approx. USD4.87 billion) for the whole 2008.
Trading value by industry showed that the share of trading value in the Energy Sector stocks has decreased, while that of the Banking Sector has increased. The share of trading value in Energy Sector stocks has decreased to 27% from 32% in previous month. On the other hand, the share of trading value in Banking Sector stocks has increased to 24%, after dropping during the past two months. Stocks in the Other Industry Sectors which enjoyed an increase in trading value share were the Agribusiness Sector, up to 4.3% in October vs. a 1.3% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the share of trading value categorized by market capitalization of the stocks was close to that of the previous month. The share of trading value for securities in SET10 group slightly increased to 36%, from 34% in the previous month.
4. Active trading accounts
There were 143,108 active trading accounts as of end-September 2009, a rise of 39% over the same period of last year. The ratio of active accounts to total trading accounts in October rose to 25.8% from the 23.2% of the previous month. The average trading value of THB3.94 million per account in October was an increase of 61% over September 2008.
The number of active internet trading accounts in October 2009 rose 5% over September 2009. Meanwhile, the value of internet trading increased by 118%, compared to that of October 2008, but decreased by 4% decrease compared to that of September 2009. Internet trading value in October 2009 was at THB123.68 million (approx. USD3.71 billion), equivalent to 21.8% of total trading value, a slight decrease from 22.5% in the previous month.
5. Overview of the derivatives market
Gold futures’ trading volume has increased continually and reached a historic high since the start of trading. In October 2009, TFEX’s daily average trading volume was 16,012 contracts, a 22% increase from previous month, due to price fluctuations of the underlying product. Trading volume has increased for every derivative product. The product with the highest trading volume compared to that of the previous month was single stock futures, with an 85% increase, followed by gold futures, up 64%. Gold futures recorded the highest daily average trading volume (new high) for the second consecutive month since the start of trading in February 2009, due to heightened investors’ interest driven by rising gold prices.
6. Overview of the funds raised
In October 2009, listed companies raised total funds of THB2.85 billion (approx. USD85.54 billion) from the capital market, consisting of the funds raised via IPOs of THB248 million (approx. USD7.44 million) by Kiattana Transport PCL (KIAT) and Moong Pattana International PCL (MOONG). Meanwhile, THB2.60 billion (approx. USD78.10 million) was raised through seasonal equity offerings (SEOs). Among the key fund raising activities via SEO were Thai Vegetable Oil PCL (TVO) and PTT PCL’s group at THB845 million (approx. USD25.35 million) and THB582 million (approx. USD17.46 million), respectively.
Special Topic
1. Report on the Banking Sector’s operating performance for Q3/2009
In Q3/2009, the Banking Sector’s operating performance improved, when compared to the same period last year as well as the previous quarter. The net profits stood at THB24.99 billion (approx. USD749.74 million) in Q3/2009, an increase of 12.8% over Q2/2009, or an increase of 5.6% over the same period last year. This is due to rises in revenue from loan fees for retail customers and decreases in loan loss provision. Moreover, banks could maintain the quality of their assets, as demonstrating by the Non-performing loans of 5.7%, a decrease from 5.74% in Q2/2009 and from 6.46% in Q3/2008.
2. Liberalization of stock trading commissions
Given improved environment and industry structure, Thailand’s securities business is better prepared for the upcoming liberalization of stock trading commissions, which will be enforced on a sliding scale basis in 2010, following with the full liberalization in 2012. The industry should be better prepared to cope with challenges from the liberalization than during the previous liberalization in 2000 because of the following reasons:
1. Overall, securities firms have greater financial strength than in 2000: During 2005- Sept. 2009 (excluding the year 2008, when SET was affected by the economic crisis), the securities companies’ average net profit ratio was 20%. Moreover, total shareholder’s equity of all securities firms as of September 2009 reached THB57.13 billion (approx. USD1.71 billion), doubled that of the year 2000.
2. The number of active accounts and average trading value has soared. The number of active accounts per month (monthly average over 9M/2009) was at 102,652 accounts, more than two times of the figure in 2000, which were only 48,432 accounts. Meanwhile, daily average trading value during 2005 – October 2009 was at THB15.87 billion, roughly three times of the figure of THB4.9 billion during 1999-2000 (before the previous liberalization). Moreover, Internet trading, which provides lower commissions compared to other traditional channels, soared, accounting for 21% of total trading value (average rate of 9M/2009), compared to the very low rate in 2000 of less than 0.1% .
3. Securities companies’ variety and diversified sources of income
Income from proprietary trading For the past several years, securities companies have gradually emphasized generating income from proprietary trading, reflected in the increasing proportion of proprietary trading. As of October 2009, proprietary trading accounted for 12% of total trading value, compared only 1% of total trading value during 1999-2000.
Income generated from more financial products In 2006, TFEX launched its first derivatives products, SET50 Index Futures, followed by SET50 Index Option, Single Stock Futures and Gold Futures. Moreover, TFEX plans to launch two more products, mini-gold futures and interest rate futures in 2010. Increased variety of financial products would enable the Thai capital market to respond to investors needs in every market circumstance.
Income generated from a wider variety of services At present, securities companies can generate income form providing various new services including sales representative services for mutual funds and bonds, securities borrowing and lending (SBL), foreign stock trading as well as structured note issuance.
4. Finding alliances to strengthen business competitiveness. Over the years, regulators have relaxed the rules to enable securities companies to flexibly merge their businesses. In 2009, five securities firms merged in part as a preparation for the liberalization in 2012, namely, 1) KTB Securities Co., Ltd. and Seamico Securities Co., Ltd. joined to become KT Zimico Securities Co., Ltd., and 2) Finansa Securities Co., Ltd., Syrus Securities Co., Ltd. and ACL Securities Co., Ltd., combined to become Finansia Syrus Co., Ltd.
For above reasons, securities companies are expected to be able to adjust more efficiently to the challenges from the upcoming liberalization. This should result in greater competition and efficiency as well as high quality services that better respond to investors’ needs.
Meanwhile, daily average trading volume of every product in Thailand Futures Exchange PCL (TFEX) increased, particularly in gold futures, which made a new high for the second consecutive month since it started trading. This rise resulted from investors’ interest in the global gold prices, which continued to increase.
Operating performance of the Banking Sector in Q3/2009 improved, both for the year-on-year and quarter-to-quarter comparison basis. In particular, its net profits rose, while the non-performing loans (NPL) decreased.
Regarding the liberalization of commission fee for stock trading using sliding scale in 2010 and the enforcement of the full liberalization in 2012, the favorable environment and improved structure of Thai securities business today should help them be better prepared for the adjustment, compared to the previous liberalization attempted in 2000. This is due to the increased financial strength of the securities industry, the growth in trading value, the rise in number of trading accounts, the increased variety and diversification of sources of income, and new services and products to meet investors’ needs in every market environment.
1. Performance Overview: Thai vs. regional exchanges
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index as of end-October 2009 decreased by 4.44% from end-September 2009, due to investors’ worries over the global economic recovery combined with negative rumor in the domestic market. The decrease in SET Index resulted in a drop in forward P/E ratio to 11.9 times as of October 30, 2009, which remained among the lowest in the region. Meanwhile, the market dividend yield was at 3.68%, the highest in the region.
2. Summary of Thai capital market performance
In October 2009, the Thai capital market was affected by negative rumor during October 14-15, which resulted in the month’s lowest SET Index at 670.72 on October 15, before rebounding after the news had been clarified. However, at the end of October, SET Index decreased again, in line with other regional exchanges’ indices. As of end-October 2009, SET Index closed at 685.24, down 4.44% from the previous month. On the other hand, the mai Index closed at 209.93, or 4.43% rise from the previous month.
As of October 2009, the total market capitalization of SET and mai was at THB5.5 trillion (approx. USD165.34 billion), a 4.28% drop from end-September 2009, mainly as a result of a decrease in SET Index.
As of October 2009, the number of securities having a price to book value ratio (P/BV) of less than one decreased slightly from 277 securities (as of September) to 275, equivalent to 53.29% of all 516 common stocks.
3. Trading activity
In October 2009, average daily trading value reached its highest level in 27 months. SET and Market for Alternative Investment (mai)’s combined average daily trading value reached THB27.01 billion (approx. USD810.56 million), the highest level in 27 months, or since July 2007, when the daily average trading value stood at THB32.18 billion (approx. USD965.77 million). In October 2009, the total trading value was THB567.33 billion (approx. USD17.02 billion).
Moreover, retail investors were more active than any other investor groups, accounting for 63% of total trading value. Local institutional investors and the securities companies’ proprietary trading held net sell positions, while retail and foreign investors held net buy positions. Foreign investors have had a net buy position for eight consecutive months. During January – October, 2009, foreign investors had a net buy position of THB55.72 billion (approx. USD1.67 billion), compared to a net sell position of THB162.35 billion (approx. USD4.87 billion) for the whole 2008.
Trading value by industry showed that the share of trading value in the Energy Sector stocks has decreased, while that of the Banking Sector has increased. The share of trading value in Energy Sector stocks has decreased to 27% from 32% in previous month. On the other hand, the share of trading value in Banking Sector stocks has increased to 24%, after dropping during the past two months. Stocks in the Other Industry Sectors which enjoyed an increase in trading value share were the Agribusiness Sector, up to 4.3% in October vs. a 1.3% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the share of trading value categorized by market capitalization of the stocks was close to that of the previous month. The share of trading value for securities in SET10 group slightly increased to 36%, from 34% in the previous month.
4. Active trading accounts
There were 143,108 active trading accounts as of end-September 2009, a rise of 39% over the same period of last year. The ratio of active accounts to total trading accounts in October rose to 25.8% from the 23.2% of the previous month. The average trading value of THB3.94 million per account in October was an increase of 61% over September 2008.
The number of active internet trading accounts in October 2009 rose 5% over September 2009. Meanwhile, the value of internet trading increased by 118%, compared to that of October 2008, but decreased by 4% decrease compared to that of September 2009. Internet trading value in October 2009 was at THB123.68 million (approx. USD3.71 billion), equivalent to 21.8% of total trading value, a slight decrease from 22.5% in the previous month.
5. Overview of the derivatives market
Gold futures’ trading volume has increased continually and reached a historic high since the start of trading. In October 2009, TFEX’s daily average trading volume was 16,012 contracts, a 22% increase from previous month, due to price fluctuations of the underlying product. Trading volume has increased for every derivative product. The product with the highest trading volume compared to that of the previous month was single stock futures, with an 85% increase, followed by gold futures, up 64%. Gold futures recorded the highest daily average trading volume (new high) for the second consecutive month since the start of trading in February 2009, due to heightened investors’ interest driven by rising gold prices.
6. Overview of the funds raised
In October 2009, listed companies raised total funds of THB2.85 billion (approx. USD85.54 billion) from the capital market, consisting of the funds raised via IPOs of THB248 million (approx. USD7.44 million) by Kiattana Transport PCL (KIAT) and Moong Pattana International PCL (MOONG). Meanwhile, THB2.60 billion (approx. USD78.10 million) was raised through seasonal equity offerings (SEOs). Among the key fund raising activities via SEO were Thai Vegetable Oil PCL (TVO) and PTT PCL’s group at THB845 million (approx. USD25.35 million) and THB582 million (approx. USD17.46 million), respectively.
Special Topic
1. Report on the Banking Sector’s operating performance for Q3/2009
In Q3/2009, the Banking Sector’s operating performance improved, when compared to the same period last year as well as the previous quarter. The net profits stood at THB24.99 billion (approx. USD749.74 million) in Q3/2009, an increase of 12.8% over Q2/2009, or an increase of 5.6% over the same period last year. This is due to rises in revenue from loan fees for retail customers and decreases in loan loss provision. Moreover, banks could maintain the quality of their assets, as demonstrating by the Non-performing loans of 5.7%, a decrease from 5.74% in Q2/2009 and from 6.46% in Q3/2008.
2. Liberalization of stock trading commissions
Given improved environment and industry structure, Thailand’s securities business is better prepared for the upcoming liberalization of stock trading commissions, which will be enforced on a sliding scale basis in 2010, following with the full liberalization in 2012. The industry should be better prepared to cope with challenges from the liberalization than during the previous liberalization in 2000 because of the following reasons:
1. Overall, securities firms have greater financial strength than in 2000: During 2005- Sept. 2009 (excluding the year 2008, when SET was affected by the economic crisis), the securities companies’ average net profit ratio was 20%. Moreover, total shareholder’s equity of all securities firms as of September 2009 reached THB57.13 billion (approx. USD1.71 billion), doubled that of the year 2000.
2. The number of active accounts and average trading value has soared. The number of active accounts per month (monthly average over 9M/2009) was at 102,652 accounts, more than two times of the figure in 2000, which were only 48,432 accounts. Meanwhile, daily average trading value during 2005 – October 2009 was at THB15.87 billion, roughly three times of the figure of THB4.9 billion during 1999-2000 (before the previous liberalization). Moreover, Internet trading, which provides lower commissions compared to other traditional channels, soared, accounting for 21% of total trading value (average rate of 9M/2009), compared to the very low rate in 2000 of less than 0.1% .
3. Securities companies’ variety and diversified sources of income
Income from proprietary trading For the past several years, securities companies have gradually emphasized generating income from proprietary trading, reflected in the increasing proportion of proprietary trading. As of October 2009, proprietary trading accounted for 12% of total trading value, compared only 1% of total trading value during 1999-2000.
Income generated from more financial products In 2006, TFEX launched its first derivatives products, SET50 Index Futures, followed by SET50 Index Option, Single Stock Futures and Gold Futures. Moreover, TFEX plans to launch two more products, mini-gold futures and interest rate futures in 2010. Increased variety of financial products would enable the Thai capital market to respond to investors needs in every market circumstance.
Income generated from a wider variety of services At present, securities companies can generate income form providing various new services including sales representative services for mutual funds and bonds, securities borrowing and lending (SBL), foreign stock trading as well as structured note issuance.
4. Finding alliances to strengthen business competitiveness. Over the years, regulators have relaxed the rules to enable securities companies to flexibly merge their businesses. In 2009, five securities firms merged in part as a preparation for the liberalization in 2012, namely, 1) KTB Securities Co., Ltd. and Seamico Securities Co., Ltd. joined to become KT Zimico Securities Co., Ltd., and 2) Finansa Securities Co., Ltd., Syrus Securities Co., Ltd. and ACL Securities Co., Ltd., combined to become Finansia Syrus Co., Ltd.
For above reasons, securities companies are expected to be able to adjust more efficiently to the challenges from the upcoming liberalization. This should result in greater competition and efficiency as well as high quality services that better respond to investors’ needs.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Add a little tenderness
Hidden in the elusive and winding sois of Bangkok are many architectural gems built decades ago. Typically situated on these properties are several airy and unpretentious wooden or brick Thaistyle homes facing vast manicured lawns lined with ancient trees and decorative potted plants. Surrounding the compounds are protective moats, neglected over time and invaded by untamed vines, weeds, water hyacinths,and lotus.
Modest versions of these same styles of Thai homes are found scattered throughout small and large moo baans or villages in Thailand. Some are built near the edge of the klongs (canals). In these moo baans , the older villagers' habits remain unchanged. At all times of day, one can see the old-timers paddle out in their sampans to pick edible wild shoots and greens. They forage among the thick blanket of vegetation for the young and tender shoots of a wild water spinach, or phak bung .My parents, who were Chinese, had a great love of phak bung . During World War Two,when the Japanese began bombing Bangkok,they fled from their shophouse on Siphraya Road to seek refuge with one of my mother's clients, a German doctor and his wife who lived in the Bangkapi (known today as Sukhumvit) area. They were given a makeshift shack near a klong in which to live.Day after day my mother, together with other neighbouring Thai villagers, would gather wild greens, including phak bung ,along the canal's edge to make stir-fries, to add to soups, and even as filling for Chinesestyle dumplings if and when she could get some flour. According to my Papa you could pick as much as you wanted one day and the next day, new tender shoots would grow overnight to take their place.Phak bung kept my parents from starvation during the war.
Phak bung became available in America as recently as a decade or so ago. Southeast Asian settlers, particularly the Vietnamese,Laotians and Hmong began growing it for sale. It was inexpensive and for Asians,phak bung reminded us of home. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw it one day at the most expensive vegetable stand in Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County,California. Situated among multi-milliondollar homes, this little vegetable stand is owned and operated by a Japanese family named Chino, who sell their gourmet and organic vegetables to people who never talk about the prices.
The Chinos pride themselves as the family who introduced exotic and rare vegetables to the rich and famous. Among these was phak bung , which they called swamp spinach. With a name like that, no wonder phak bung disappeared from their stand shortly thereafter.
Nowadays, during the summer months,cleaned and beautifully wrapped bundles of phak bung can still be found in upscale farmers markets in areas with a large Asian population. Sold for at least triple the price compared to the massive bundles one can buy in Asian supermarkets,phak bung has gained a new status among American chefs as an exotic, rare and pricy green vegetable.
American shoppers are curious when they see these bundles of deep green, slender and hollow stalks with beautiful ovate leaves.They have, however, no idea what to do with it. Should one use it as decoration, eat it raw as salad greens, or perhaps steam,boil, deep-fry or stir-fry it?
In comparison, we Thai cooks have no problem knowing what to do with phak bung . During the monsoon season, it multiplies rapidly, invading ponds and klongs .Its crunchy, cool-refreshing and blandflavoured young shoots are prized as a perfect accompaniment for spicy nam prik (chili sauce). We also stir-fry it with garlic,chilies and bean paste to make phak bung fai daeng , a delicious, simple and quick side dish that we serve with a bowl of warm cooked rice. Some of us are inventive as well as mindful of waste. Long, over grown stalks are not discarded, but slivered into hair-thin strands that are stir-fried with the same seasonings as fai daeng . One of the best dishes using phak bung is a spicy,coconut soup called gaeng tae-po . This is a creation served up by cooks from northeastern and southern regions of Thailand.This rich and savoury soup blends peppery chilies with salty dried fish, creamy coconut cream, fruity tamarind and sweet palm sugar.
However, my favourite way of cooking phak bung is old-fashioned.Phak bung pad nam prik sod is an inventive recipe combining together phak bung with ingredients for nam prik kapi , or chili sauce with fermented shrimp paste, in a stir-fry.Its taste and aroma remind me of the beach and ocean after a heavy drenching of monsoon rain. The air turns cool, pristinely cleaned with just a faint scent of the wet earth, warm sand and salt water intermingled with the sweet perfume of bruised blossoms.
An intriguing bit of information about phak bung that I find fascinating is that Thai folk doctors use it as medicine. Eating phak bung is believed to be good for the eyesight. It is also a diuretic and an antidote against heat from chili overload. Older timers brew phak bung as tea to dispel poisons from overindulgence in alcohol, opium and other psychotropic drugs. An old traditional folk doctor told me that it is even used as an anti-depressant for mentally ill people.Whether you choose to believe Thai folk doctors or not,phak bung has been proven scientifically to be full of iron, beta-carotene,and vitamins A and C, whose benefits oddly coincide with some of the Thai folk doctors beliefs. In particular, iron is a vital compo-nent of our blood. Insufficient iron content in our diet can lead to anaemia which makes us weak and fatigable. Vitamin A and C are good for the eyes, skin, bones and immune system. Next time, when you have a craving for phak bung , it might just be because your body needs a booster, a cure, or some soothing relief.m
Su-Mei Yu is an author of Thai cookbooks, including the award winning, Cracking the Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking, Asian Grilling, and to be released in October, The Elements of Life, A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living.
Phak Bung Pad Nam Prik Sod Spicy Stir-Fried Water Spinach
Makes 4 servings Ingredients for chili paste 114tsp 4 to 57 to 8 1 tsp 2 tbsp 11
2tbsp 1 tsp salt garlic cloves,peeled bird chilies fermented shrimp paste fish sauce of lime juice of palm sugar Preparation
In a mortar, pound the salt and garlic with a pestle to a puree.Add the chilies and pound until they are slightly pulverised. Add the shrimp paste and pound to incorporate. Add the fish sauce,lime juice and palm sugar. Use a spoon to stir and mix. Set aside.
Ingredients 1 tbsp 12cup (160g) 8 cups 3 to 4cooking oil small shrimp, cleaned,deveined and dried thoroughly tightly packed phak bung stems and leaves (cut lengthwise into 5cm pieces), separate stems and leaves in two piles red cayenne chilies and yellow Hungarian chilies combined, slightly pounded Chili paste Preparation
Heat a wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and wait for 30 seconds before adding the shrimp. Stirfry until the shrimp turn pink. Add the phak bung stems and stir-fry until the colour brightens. Add the chili paste and stir-fry to incorporate. Add the phak bung leaves and cayenne chilies. Stir-fry until the leaves turn limp. Transfer to a platter and serve hot with red organic rice.Note:For vegetarians, leave out the shrimp.
Modest versions of these same styles of Thai homes are found scattered throughout small and large moo baans or villages in Thailand. Some are built near the edge of the klongs (canals). In these moo baans , the older villagers' habits remain unchanged. At all times of day, one can see the old-timers paddle out in their sampans to pick edible wild shoots and greens. They forage among the thick blanket of vegetation for the young and tender shoots of a wild water spinach, or phak bung .My parents, who were Chinese, had a great love of phak bung . During World War Two,when the Japanese began bombing Bangkok,they fled from their shophouse on Siphraya Road to seek refuge with one of my mother's clients, a German doctor and his wife who lived in the Bangkapi (known today as Sukhumvit) area. They were given a makeshift shack near a klong in which to live.Day after day my mother, together with other neighbouring Thai villagers, would gather wild greens, including phak bung ,along the canal's edge to make stir-fries, to add to soups, and even as filling for Chinesestyle dumplings if and when she could get some flour. According to my Papa you could pick as much as you wanted one day and the next day, new tender shoots would grow overnight to take their place.Phak bung kept my parents from starvation during the war.
Phak bung became available in America as recently as a decade or so ago. Southeast Asian settlers, particularly the Vietnamese,Laotians and Hmong began growing it for sale. It was inexpensive and for Asians,phak bung reminded us of home. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw it one day at the most expensive vegetable stand in Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County,California. Situated among multi-milliondollar homes, this little vegetable stand is owned and operated by a Japanese family named Chino, who sell their gourmet and organic vegetables to people who never talk about the prices.
The Chinos pride themselves as the family who introduced exotic and rare vegetables to the rich and famous. Among these was phak bung , which they called swamp spinach. With a name like that, no wonder phak bung disappeared from their stand shortly thereafter.
Nowadays, during the summer months,cleaned and beautifully wrapped bundles of phak bung can still be found in upscale farmers markets in areas with a large Asian population. Sold for at least triple the price compared to the massive bundles one can buy in Asian supermarkets,phak bung has gained a new status among American chefs as an exotic, rare and pricy green vegetable.
American shoppers are curious when they see these bundles of deep green, slender and hollow stalks with beautiful ovate leaves.They have, however, no idea what to do with it. Should one use it as decoration, eat it raw as salad greens, or perhaps steam,boil, deep-fry or stir-fry it?
In comparison, we Thai cooks have no problem knowing what to do with phak bung . During the monsoon season, it multiplies rapidly, invading ponds and klongs .Its crunchy, cool-refreshing and blandflavoured young shoots are prized as a perfect accompaniment for spicy nam prik (chili sauce). We also stir-fry it with garlic,chilies and bean paste to make phak bung fai daeng , a delicious, simple and quick side dish that we serve with a bowl of warm cooked rice. Some of us are inventive as well as mindful of waste. Long, over grown stalks are not discarded, but slivered into hair-thin strands that are stir-fried with the same seasonings as fai daeng . One of the best dishes using phak bung is a spicy,coconut soup called gaeng tae-po . This is a creation served up by cooks from northeastern and southern regions of Thailand.This rich and savoury soup blends peppery chilies with salty dried fish, creamy coconut cream, fruity tamarind and sweet palm sugar.
However, my favourite way of cooking phak bung is old-fashioned.Phak bung pad nam prik sod is an inventive recipe combining together phak bung with ingredients for nam prik kapi , or chili sauce with fermented shrimp paste, in a stir-fry.Its taste and aroma remind me of the beach and ocean after a heavy drenching of monsoon rain. The air turns cool, pristinely cleaned with just a faint scent of the wet earth, warm sand and salt water intermingled with the sweet perfume of bruised blossoms.
An intriguing bit of information about phak bung that I find fascinating is that Thai folk doctors use it as medicine. Eating phak bung is believed to be good for the eyesight. It is also a diuretic and an antidote against heat from chili overload. Older timers brew phak bung as tea to dispel poisons from overindulgence in alcohol, opium and other psychotropic drugs. An old traditional folk doctor told me that it is even used as an anti-depressant for mentally ill people.Whether you choose to believe Thai folk doctors or not,phak bung has been proven scientifically to be full of iron, beta-carotene,and vitamins A and C, whose benefits oddly coincide with some of the Thai folk doctors beliefs. In particular, iron is a vital compo-nent of our blood. Insufficient iron content in our diet can lead to anaemia which makes us weak and fatigable. Vitamin A and C are good for the eyes, skin, bones and immune system. Next time, when you have a craving for phak bung , it might just be because your body needs a booster, a cure, or some soothing relief.m
Su-Mei Yu is an author of Thai cookbooks, including the award winning, Cracking the Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking, Asian Grilling, and to be released in October, The Elements of Life, A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living.
Phak Bung Pad Nam Prik Sod Spicy Stir-Fried Water Spinach
Makes 4 servings Ingredients for chili paste 114tsp 4 to 57 to 8 1 tsp 2 tbsp 11
2tbsp 1 tsp salt garlic cloves,peeled bird chilies fermented shrimp paste fish sauce of lime juice of palm sugar Preparation
In a mortar, pound the salt and garlic with a pestle to a puree.Add the chilies and pound until they are slightly pulverised. Add the shrimp paste and pound to incorporate. Add the fish sauce,lime juice and palm sugar. Use a spoon to stir and mix. Set aside.
Ingredients 1 tbsp 12cup (160g) 8 cups 3 to 4cooking oil small shrimp, cleaned,deveined and dried thoroughly tightly packed phak bung stems and leaves (cut lengthwise into 5cm pieces), separate stems and leaves in two piles red cayenne chilies and yellow Hungarian chilies combined, slightly pounded Chili paste Preparation
Heat a wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and wait for 30 seconds before adding the shrimp. Stirfry until the shrimp turn pink. Add the phak bung stems and stir-fry until the colour brightens. Add the chili paste and stir-fry to incorporate. Add the phak bung leaves and cayenne chilies. Stir-fry until the leaves turn limp. Transfer to a platter and serve hot with red organic rice.Note:For vegetarians, leave out the shrimp.
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
Pongsiri Arampong,a resident of Ban Pom, in Ayutthaya's Muang district,shows bananas he sells in front of his house on AyutthayaBang Ban Road. The fruit, priced 10 to 35 baht a bunch,comes from local growers seeking additional income.Mr Pongsiri says sales are brisk at around 8,000 to 10,000 baht over weekends.
Longan for China
Tesco Lotus aims to ship at least 200 tonnes of longan worth Bt7 million to Tesco China as part of a commitment by Tesco Group to supply over Bt1.6 billion of Thai fruit for sale through Tesco's international network this year.
This year, Tesco plans to buy over 228,000 tonnes of seasonal and year-round fruits and vegetables from local farmers worth Bt5.57 billion, up 30 per cent from last year.
It will buy 1,600 tonnes of longan worth Bt97 million. It is also increasing exports fo longgong, particularly from the four southern border provinces, and plan to sign a deal to buy 1,000 tonnes of longgong.
This year, Tesco plans to buy over 228,000 tonnes of seasonal and year-round fruits and vegetables from local farmers worth Bt5.57 billion, up 30 per cent from last year.
It will buy 1,600 tonnes of longan worth Bt97 million. It is also increasing exports fo longgong, particularly from the four southern border provinces, and plan to sign a deal to buy 1,000 tonnes of longgong.
Kiwi-fruit giant eyes Thai market
The world's largest marketer of New Zealand kiwi fruit has targeted Thailand as a market of long-term strategic growth.
Zespri International launched this year's campaign, called "Xtreme Nutrition: Xtreme Vitality", to boost consumption of the fruit even more after a 50-per-cent increase following last year's campaign.
Zespri International Southeast Asia marketing manager Daniel Mathieson said volume remained low at only 120,000 trays but that response to the campaign so far showed a large untapped demand. The company plans to double its sales in Thailand this year after witnessing a doubling in orders for Kiwi Gold since last year.
Zespri International launched this year's campaign, called "Xtreme Nutrition: Xtreme Vitality", to boost consumption of the fruit even more after a 50-per-cent increase following last year's campaign.
Zespri International Southeast Asia marketing manager Daniel Mathieson said volume remained low at only 120,000 trays but that response to the campaign so far showed a large untapped demand. The company plans to double its sales in Thailand this year after witnessing a doubling in orders for Kiwi Gold since last year.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
FADING FLAVOURS
Here in Bangkok, if you want to buy some fruit, probably the easiest way to get them is to go to a supermarket. There you'll find cantaloupes, dragonfruit,seedless grapes, Holland papayas, kiwi fruit, avocados, apples, yellow watermelons, Sunkist oranges, imported seedless pears and choice nam dawk mai mangoes.
In this capital city, people regularly stock up on such fruit. In time, they may forget about langsat (the murky brownish-yellow Lansium domesticum berry grown in Uttaradit, now getting hard to find as they are steadily being replaced by longkong -another member of the same species),maprang (commonly known in English as marian plums),phutsa (jujubes), phutsa Thai (Thai jujubes),mafiang (akin to rambais and loquats),maphoot , and a large number of other old-time Thai favourites that are gradually disappearing from our culinary culture.
Many of these fruit are native to Thailand,while others were brought here from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Indonesia, Malaysia or China. One example is the guava, which is thought to have been brought to Thailand by Portuguese visitors during the Middle Ayutthaya period.(In Thai it was dubbed farang, which also means a Westerner, because its pink pulp resembled Europeans' skin colour. When birds ate the fruit their droppings were red, giving rise to the longer name farang khee nok , or bird-droppings guava).All of these fruit eventually established themselves in Thailand's culture, and sent deep roots into the Thai way of life. Many types were traditionally grown by villagers near the fences surrounding their property or along public walkways, so that travellers could pick the fruit to refresh themselves along the way. One of these was the makham pawm Emblic myrabolan ), whose leaves provided shade while the fruit cooled the throat and quenched the thirst. Since it fruits all year round, households that grew it were happy to let passers-by and local children help themselves.
Some Thai fruit were sometimes grown because they provided useful characteristics as well as fruit. Jujube trees, for example,were grew in dense clusters around the ruins and ancient temples of Ayutthaya.This reason for this was that these sites used to be almost completely overgrown with grass, weeds and vines. When they were restored, one of the first things to be done was to remove all of the overgrowth and plant a thick crop of jujube. The trees provided shade so well that grass and weeds were no longer able to grow. In addition,local people were able to go and gather the fruit for sale. At the same time, the coming and going helped to protect the sites from thieves who might sneak in to dig up artifacts from the grounds around the sites.
Then there are the fruits that help maintain good health. The maphoot is sweet and tasty, but also acts as a natural laxative.Villagers often ate it after the evening meal to keep them regular.
The maquid (wood or elephant apple,so named because of elephants' fondness for them) has an appearance that suggests coarseness. It grows on a very big tree, the fruit itself is large, and it has a thick shell,But the pulp inside is soft, sweet and fragrant. It can be eaten easily with a spoon when ripe. Extremely nourishing, it is be-lieved to help clear up stomach problems.In the past, it was often eaten in the evening to help keep maintain a healthy digestion.
The mamuang kaew is a small, round mango that is available all year round. It is very acidic, more sour than sweet even when ripe. Squirrels and birds will take a bite or two and then leave it alone, and people who grow it don't have to worry about thieves making off with the fruit.
In the past, it was eaten to keep the stomach in order, but it was also delivered to the market for sale because it could be used for pickling, too.Shredded fresh mamuang kaew was also sprinkled on top of yam dishes (sour, hot salads) and the popular fried noodle phat Thai . It was also the best choice for making nam phrik mamuang (a mangobased chilli dip sauce). Since the mamuang kaew tree is big and has small, thick leaves, it is also a good shade tree.
One local citrus that has found a use both in religious ceremonies and in the kitchen is the som jeet , or Calamodin, which grows on a small bush. Although it is very sour, the Chinese view it as a symbol of happiness and good fortune. It is small and yellow. Several are clustered close together and they cover the entire plant.Chinese households like to grow them in pots nearby the house.
The som juke , another Chinese favourite,is dark green and has a big protrusion at the top resembling a juke, or Thai topknot.Because of this, it is called som juke priew ,or sour topknot orange. It is an oldfashioned fruit that is used as an offering to ancestors during the Chinese New Year.Despite its sourness, its juice mixed with sugar makes a refreshing drink.
The skin of the som sa (citron) is used to impart a special fragrance to certain Thai dishes, most famously mee krawb and pranaem . Without it, the flavour of both these dishes loses character.
These are only a few of the local Thai fruits that offer more than just the property of being edible. They have acquired special significance in the segment of Thai society associated with religious belief and because they are viewed as being effective as natural medicines.
Nonetheless, despite their multiple uses and value to traditional culture, they are now being forgotten.
Apples, cantaloupes, kiwi fruit and seedless grapes are elbowing them out. But these more expensive imports will never be able to acquire the value, both real and symbolic, of these exotic Thai fruit.
In this capital city, people regularly stock up on such fruit. In time, they may forget about langsat (the murky brownish-yellow Lansium domesticum berry grown in Uttaradit, now getting hard to find as they are steadily being replaced by longkong -another member of the same species),maprang (commonly known in English as marian plums),phutsa (jujubes), phutsa Thai (Thai jujubes),mafiang (akin to rambais and loquats),maphoot , and a large number of other old-time Thai favourites that are gradually disappearing from our culinary culture.
Many of these fruit are native to Thailand,while others were brought here from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, Indonesia, Malaysia or China. One example is the guava, which is thought to have been brought to Thailand by Portuguese visitors during the Middle Ayutthaya period.(In Thai it was dubbed farang, which also means a Westerner, because its pink pulp resembled Europeans' skin colour. When birds ate the fruit their droppings were red, giving rise to the longer name farang khee nok , or bird-droppings guava).All of these fruit eventually established themselves in Thailand's culture, and sent deep roots into the Thai way of life. Many types were traditionally grown by villagers near the fences surrounding their property or along public walkways, so that travellers could pick the fruit to refresh themselves along the way. One of these was the makham pawm Emblic myrabolan ), whose leaves provided shade while the fruit cooled the throat and quenched the thirst. Since it fruits all year round, households that grew it were happy to let passers-by and local children help themselves.
Some Thai fruit were sometimes grown because they provided useful characteristics as well as fruit. Jujube trees, for example,were grew in dense clusters around the ruins and ancient temples of Ayutthaya.This reason for this was that these sites used to be almost completely overgrown with grass, weeds and vines. When they were restored, one of the first things to be done was to remove all of the overgrowth and plant a thick crop of jujube. The trees provided shade so well that grass and weeds were no longer able to grow. In addition,local people were able to go and gather the fruit for sale. At the same time, the coming and going helped to protect the sites from thieves who might sneak in to dig up artifacts from the grounds around the sites.
Then there are the fruits that help maintain good health. The maphoot is sweet and tasty, but also acts as a natural laxative.Villagers often ate it after the evening meal to keep them regular.
The maquid (wood or elephant apple,so named because of elephants' fondness for them) has an appearance that suggests coarseness. It grows on a very big tree, the fruit itself is large, and it has a thick shell,But the pulp inside is soft, sweet and fragrant. It can be eaten easily with a spoon when ripe. Extremely nourishing, it is be-lieved to help clear up stomach problems.In the past, it was often eaten in the evening to help keep maintain a healthy digestion.
The mamuang kaew is a small, round mango that is available all year round. It is very acidic, more sour than sweet even when ripe. Squirrels and birds will take a bite or two and then leave it alone, and people who grow it don't have to worry about thieves making off with the fruit.
In the past, it was eaten to keep the stomach in order, but it was also delivered to the market for sale because it could be used for pickling, too.Shredded fresh mamuang kaew was also sprinkled on top of yam dishes (sour, hot salads) and the popular fried noodle phat Thai . It was also the best choice for making nam phrik mamuang (a mangobased chilli dip sauce). Since the mamuang kaew tree is big and has small, thick leaves, it is also a good shade tree.
One local citrus that has found a use both in religious ceremonies and in the kitchen is the som jeet , or Calamodin, which grows on a small bush. Although it is very sour, the Chinese view it as a symbol of happiness and good fortune. It is small and yellow. Several are clustered close together and they cover the entire plant.Chinese households like to grow them in pots nearby the house.
The som juke , another Chinese favourite,is dark green and has a big protrusion at the top resembling a juke, or Thai topknot.Because of this, it is called som juke priew ,or sour topknot orange. It is an oldfashioned fruit that is used as an offering to ancestors during the Chinese New Year.Despite its sourness, its juice mixed with sugar makes a refreshing drink.
The skin of the som sa (citron) is used to impart a special fragrance to certain Thai dishes, most famously mee krawb and pranaem . Without it, the flavour of both these dishes loses character.
These are only a few of the local Thai fruits that offer more than just the property of being edible. They have acquired special significance in the segment of Thai society associated with religious belief and because they are viewed as being effective as natural medicines.
Nonetheless, despite their multiple uses and value to traditional culture, they are now being forgotten.
Apples, cantaloupes, kiwi fruit and seedless grapes are elbowing them out. But these more expensive imports will never be able to acquire the value, both real and symbolic, of these exotic Thai fruit.
Nature's Celestial Gift - Bamboo Shoots
Taste this, it is sweet and delicious,"my friend Lak urged me as he handed me an enamelled plate with a couple of pale golden bamboo shoots. Lak called them noh mai rai . I had returned to Thailand for a brief stay to manage the cooking academy I founded in Mae Rim.
Lak, a gardener for the huge grounds of the cooking academy, is one of my best cooking and eating buddies.
Knowing that I am passionate about learning and savouring local and seasonal treats,he had gotten these delicate shoots from a relative of another gardener, who harvested them from the forest for me.
I wondered to myself: how can bamboo shoots be described as sweet? I have had plenty of bamboo shoots in my lifetime, both freshly cooked and canned, and I never would have described them as being sweet. The ones on the plate were each sliced lengthwise into quarters with the base still intact. I lifted one of the pieces; it broke off easily from the clump. Just as Lak said, it was not only sweet but also tasted delicate, buttery and tender.
Noh mai rai or pai thong (Dendrocalamus asper Back) is one of several varieties of bamboo shoots harvested from the forests in northern Thailand during the rainy season fromMay to October. The villagers consider this time of year as being inhabited by "tep tida doi - nong nang baan na"or "celestial beings from the mountain", meaning bamboo shoots, and "young woman from farming village" meaning baby crab.
These two delicacies are known as special rainy season treats. They are either cooked together or separately, but often served together.
The bamboo shoot forager, Leang, is typical of many villagers whose livelihood during these months depends on the harvest of bamboo shoots. She got up early every morn-ing and rode off on her motorbike with two large burlap bags and a couple of shovels,heading up towards the mountain and deep into the forest.
Leang braved being bitten by mosquitoes,bugs and snakes, as she searched for, dug and harvested these tender shoots growing in clumps at the base of dense bamboo groves.After the bags were bulging with shoots, Leang would ride back home where her mother sliced and cleaned the shoots for boiling.
The shoots were lined up and packed tightly in the pattern of a sundial in a large oil drum set on top of wooden logs. Water was added to the brim and logs were set on fire underneath. Once the water began to boil, her father, Gid, covered the top with a couple of old empty plastic rice bags.
These, Gid explained, are never washed after being used. Acid seeps out from the bamboo shoots and into the fabric during the repeated boiling process, adding kem , or a salty taste, to the shoots, thus turning them sweet. Gid closed up the oil drum with a wooden lid and left the bamboo shoots to boil for the next four to five hours until they were cooked. He removed the shoots immediately into a large basin filled with cool water and let them soak. Then they were ready to be sold to vendors in the wet markets in town.
For the following three weeks, Lak would cook one recipe after another, all using bamboo shoots and/or tiny field crabs. There would always be at least one or two accompanying dishes made with curious wild shoots,greens or blooms that I happened to see and buy from the wet market at Mae Rim.
We feasted on gaeng gai noh mai -a spicy free range chicken and bamboo shoot soup with a beautiful orange hue broth coloured by turmeric and scented with several cupfuls of holy basil. There was naem noh mai - pickled mashed bamboo shoots with its smooth and buttery texture seasoned with a perfect balance of salty, sour and pickle flavours, tinged with a surprisingly spicy garlicky kick. This was supposed to be eaten with warm sticky rice balls. I ate it alone by scooping a couple of fingers full at a time.The stuff was addictive.
We also had yum noh mai , or bamboo shoot salad perfumed with herbal young ginger leaves, saw-tooth herbs and crab chili paste. Lak made another variety of spicy soup, typically served during rainy season,that is believed to cure fevers.
He harvested fresh bamboo shoots from the groves growing in the garden and cooked them in a green and bitter liquid that smelled like freshly mowed grass. It came from medicinal leaves called bai yah nang . He seasoned the soup with the all-purpose northern Thai chili paste made with chilies, garlic, shallots,lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste and fermented fish. He also added heaps of krachai , or Chinese Keys rhizome, roasted garlic, roasted shallots and roasted chilies.
As a surprise during one of our bamboo shoot dinners, Lak brought out a small plate with four little crab shells containing some yellow custard-like substance. He told me to take a bit of warm sticky rice, shaped into a ball, and dip it into the yellow custard. The instant I put it in my mouth the musty scent of the wet, rain-soaked earth rose up to my nostrils. Its creamy texture was salty and slightly peppery. Lak told me this precious cream is the crab's tomalley, or as the Thais call it mun pu , which literary translates as crab's oil or cream. It is patiently extracted from hundreds of tiny field crabs and seasoned with salt, garlic, and chilies and steamed.Some vendors add eggs to the mixture to dilute the crab tomalley, thus increasing the volume they can sell of this precious extract.
One of the best bamboo shoot dishes Lak made was stuffed bamboo shoots. He shredded the centre portions with a bamboo skewer before stuffing it with a mixture of minced pork and shrimp.
These lacy golden stalks were deep-fried until the water evaporated, turning them crispy and reddish brown.
I never tired of eating dish after dish made with bamboo shoots. Jokingly, I told a friend that after so much bamboo shoot in my system, he could very well use me to build one of his designer chairs.
Oddly, my remark is not too far from the health benefits provided by bamboo shoots.The fibrous texture is considered to be cooling for the body, good for the digestive tracts,nurturing for the circulatory system and eases excessive phlegm. All of which strengthens our body and keeps us strong and healthy.
Lak's introduction of noh mai rai has forever changed my idea of bamboo shoots.Back in America, I can't imagine cooking or eating canned or bottled bamboo shoots.Even fresh imported ones from Japan or China, with a tough, grainy and fibrous texture,that I once considered to be a delicacy, cannot hold a candle to noh mai rai .I will have to wait until next rainy season to return to northern Thailand and continue my feasting on Lak's delectable home cooking with noh mai rai .m
Su-Mei Yu is an author of Thai cookbooks, including the award winning, Cracking The Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking, Asian Grilling, and to be released this month, The Elements Of Life, A Contemporary Guide To Thai Recipes And Traditions For Healthier Living.
Gaeng Gai Noh Mai Rai Aromatic Soup with Chicken and Bamboo Shoots Makes 4 servings Ingredients for chili paste: Makes 1cup 14tsp 53 to 4 slices 10 7cm
42.5cm 1 tsp 1 tsp salt cloves garlic, peeled (1 tbsp)peeled galangal (1 tbsp)dried chilies, minced (11
2tbsp)lemongrass bulb, thinly sliced (2 tbsp)small shallots (2 tbsp)peeled turmeric (1 tbsp)shrimp paste fermented fish paste (pla lah) Preparation:
Put the salt and garlic in a mortar and pound with a pestle to a puree. Add the remaining ingredients; one at a time and only after each has been incorporated into the paste. Finish with shrimp paste and fermented fish paste. Set aside. Ingredients: 11
2tbsp chili paste 450g 3 cups 2 cups 2 tablespoons 3 to 4 2 cups cooking oil (preferably rice bran oil)bite-sized pieces free range chicken water fresh or boiled bamboo shoot chunks, slightly pounded fish sauce kaffir lime leaves tightly packed holy basil leaves
Preparation:
Put the oil in a saucepan over a medium low heat. Wait for a minute before adding the chili paste. Stir-fry quickly until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry to coat them with the chili paste.
When the chicken has turned slightly brown,add the water to completely cover it. Stir to mix.Once the liquid comes to the boil, add the bamboo shoots. Cook under a medium low heat for 30 minutes or until both the chicken and bamboo shoots are tender. Season with fish sauce and stir to mix. Add the kaffir lime leaves. Let it cook for another 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the holy basil leaves, stir to mix. Serve warm with cooked red organic rice.
Lak, a gardener for the huge grounds of the cooking academy, is one of my best cooking and eating buddies.
Knowing that I am passionate about learning and savouring local and seasonal treats,he had gotten these delicate shoots from a relative of another gardener, who harvested them from the forest for me.
I wondered to myself: how can bamboo shoots be described as sweet? I have had plenty of bamboo shoots in my lifetime, both freshly cooked and canned, and I never would have described them as being sweet. The ones on the plate were each sliced lengthwise into quarters with the base still intact. I lifted one of the pieces; it broke off easily from the clump. Just as Lak said, it was not only sweet but also tasted delicate, buttery and tender.
Noh mai rai or pai thong (Dendrocalamus asper Back) is one of several varieties of bamboo shoots harvested from the forests in northern Thailand during the rainy season fromMay to October. The villagers consider this time of year as being inhabited by "tep tida doi - nong nang baan na"or "celestial beings from the mountain", meaning bamboo shoots, and "young woman from farming village" meaning baby crab.
These two delicacies are known as special rainy season treats. They are either cooked together or separately, but often served together.
The bamboo shoot forager, Leang, is typical of many villagers whose livelihood during these months depends on the harvest of bamboo shoots. She got up early every morn-ing and rode off on her motorbike with two large burlap bags and a couple of shovels,heading up towards the mountain and deep into the forest.
Leang braved being bitten by mosquitoes,bugs and snakes, as she searched for, dug and harvested these tender shoots growing in clumps at the base of dense bamboo groves.After the bags were bulging with shoots, Leang would ride back home where her mother sliced and cleaned the shoots for boiling.
The shoots were lined up and packed tightly in the pattern of a sundial in a large oil drum set on top of wooden logs. Water was added to the brim and logs were set on fire underneath. Once the water began to boil, her father, Gid, covered the top with a couple of old empty plastic rice bags.
These, Gid explained, are never washed after being used. Acid seeps out from the bamboo shoots and into the fabric during the repeated boiling process, adding kem , or a salty taste, to the shoots, thus turning them sweet. Gid closed up the oil drum with a wooden lid and left the bamboo shoots to boil for the next four to five hours until they were cooked. He removed the shoots immediately into a large basin filled with cool water and let them soak. Then they were ready to be sold to vendors in the wet markets in town.
For the following three weeks, Lak would cook one recipe after another, all using bamboo shoots and/or tiny field crabs. There would always be at least one or two accompanying dishes made with curious wild shoots,greens or blooms that I happened to see and buy from the wet market at Mae Rim.
We feasted on gaeng gai noh mai -a spicy free range chicken and bamboo shoot soup with a beautiful orange hue broth coloured by turmeric and scented with several cupfuls of holy basil. There was naem noh mai - pickled mashed bamboo shoots with its smooth and buttery texture seasoned with a perfect balance of salty, sour and pickle flavours, tinged with a surprisingly spicy garlicky kick. This was supposed to be eaten with warm sticky rice balls. I ate it alone by scooping a couple of fingers full at a time.The stuff was addictive.
We also had yum noh mai , or bamboo shoot salad perfumed with herbal young ginger leaves, saw-tooth herbs and crab chili paste. Lak made another variety of spicy soup, typically served during rainy season,that is believed to cure fevers.
He harvested fresh bamboo shoots from the groves growing in the garden and cooked them in a green and bitter liquid that smelled like freshly mowed grass. It came from medicinal leaves called bai yah nang . He seasoned the soup with the all-purpose northern Thai chili paste made with chilies, garlic, shallots,lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste and fermented fish. He also added heaps of krachai , or Chinese Keys rhizome, roasted garlic, roasted shallots and roasted chilies.
As a surprise during one of our bamboo shoot dinners, Lak brought out a small plate with four little crab shells containing some yellow custard-like substance. He told me to take a bit of warm sticky rice, shaped into a ball, and dip it into the yellow custard. The instant I put it in my mouth the musty scent of the wet, rain-soaked earth rose up to my nostrils. Its creamy texture was salty and slightly peppery. Lak told me this precious cream is the crab's tomalley, or as the Thais call it mun pu , which literary translates as crab's oil or cream. It is patiently extracted from hundreds of tiny field crabs and seasoned with salt, garlic, and chilies and steamed.Some vendors add eggs to the mixture to dilute the crab tomalley, thus increasing the volume they can sell of this precious extract.
One of the best bamboo shoot dishes Lak made was stuffed bamboo shoots. He shredded the centre portions with a bamboo skewer before stuffing it with a mixture of minced pork and shrimp.
These lacy golden stalks were deep-fried until the water evaporated, turning them crispy and reddish brown.
I never tired of eating dish after dish made with bamboo shoots. Jokingly, I told a friend that after so much bamboo shoot in my system, he could very well use me to build one of his designer chairs.
Oddly, my remark is not too far from the health benefits provided by bamboo shoots.The fibrous texture is considered to be cooling for the body, good for the digestive tracts,nurturing for the circulatory system and eases excessive phlegm. All of which strengthens our body and keeps us strong and healthy.
Lak's introduction of noh mai rai has forever changed my idea of bamboo shoots.Back in America, I can't imagine cooking or eating canned or bottled bamboo shoots.Even fresh imported ones from Japan or China, with a tough, grainy and fibrous texture,that I once considered to be a delicacy, cannot hold a candle to noh mai rai .I will have to wait until next rainy season to return to northern Thailand and continue my feasting on Lak's delectable home cooking with noh mai rai .m
Su-Mei Yu is an author of Thai cookbooks, including the award winning, Cracking The Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking, Asian Grilling, and to be released this month, The Elements Of Life, A Contemporary Guide To Thai Recipes And Traditions For Healthier Living.
Gaeng Gai Noh Mai Rai Aromatic Soup with Chicken and Bamboo Shoots Makes 4 servings Ingredients for chili paste: Makes 1cup 14tsp 53 to 4 slices 10 7cm
42.5cm 1 tsp 1 tsp salt cloves garlic, peeled (1 tbsp)peeled galangal (1 tbsp)dried chilies, minced (11
2tbsp)lemongrass bulb, thinly sliced (2 tbsp)small shallots (2 tbsp)peeled turmeric (1 tbsp)shrimp paste fermented fish paste (pla lah) Preparation:
Put the salt and garlic in a mortar and pound with a pestle to a puree. Add the remaining ingredients; one at a time and only after each has been incorporated into the paste. Finish with shrimp paste and fermented fish paste. Set aside. Ingredients: 11
2tbsp chili paste 450g 3 cups 2 cups 2 tablespoons 3 to 4 2 cups cooking oil (preferably rice bran oil)bite-sized pieces free range chicken water fresh or boiled bamboo shoot chunks, slightly pounded fish sauce kaffir lime leaves tightly packed holy basil leaves
Preparation:
Put the oil in a saucepan over a medium low heat. Wait for a minute before adding the chili paste. Stir-fry quickly until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry to coat them with the chili paste.
When the chicken has turned slightly brown,add the water to completely cover it. Stir to mix.Once the liquid comes to the boil, add the bamboo shoots. Cook under a medium low heat for 30 minutes or until both the chicken and bamboo shoots are tender. Season with fish sauce and stir to mix. Add the kaffir lime leaves. Let it cook for another 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the holy basil leaves, stir to mix. Serve warm with cooked red organic rice.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Job agencies agree to partial refunds
Four job agencies that sent Thai workers to Sweden to pick wild berries have agreed to give partial refunds, Labour Minister Paitoon Kaewthong says.
But the amounts of money the berry pickers will receive will vary depending on the companies with which they signed their contracts.
The settlement was brokered by Mr Paitoon who called a meeting with representatives from the four job agencies - Siam Royal Services Co, Sunshine Co, Thai Blue Berry Service Co and TS Law and Business Co.
On average, those who earned less than 10,000 baht from berry picking will receive a 25% refund of 75,000 baht.
Mr Paitoon said the payment is to alleviate the hardship of almost 300 workers who recently returned home from Sweden broke and disappointed.
They had borrowed between 80,000-150,000 baht each to travel to Sweden but poor berry yields led them to make only small amounts of money.
He said the Labour Ministry will discuss the matter with the Sweden Forest Berries Association and try to guarantee minimum earnings for the workers next year.
Chaiyuth Kijsawat, managing director of Siam Royal Services, said the company can only give a 20,000 baht refund to each of the workers.
He said the firm's financial status is not so good either but it is willing settle the dispute so it will not affect the company's quota to send workers next year.
Hatsaya Kennok, a berry picker, yesterday called on labour authorities to step in to ensure fair employment.
She said it is time the government put in place a management scheme for those who seek to pick wild berries in Sweden.
Meanwhile, Sampan Sakuldee, another worker from Nakhon Ratchasima,said she and her husband took out 200,000 baht in loans to be berry pickers and are likely to lose their last land plot which was placed as collateral.
She said that the refund offered by the job agency is not enough to pay the interest on her loans.
She said that there are some 20 other couples who suffered the same fate and many of them feel their families are falling apart due to financial stress.
But the amounts of money the berry pickers will receive will vary depending on the companies with which they signed their contracts.
The settlement was brokered by Mr Paitoon who called a meeting with representatives from the four job agencies - Siam Royal Services Co, Sunshine Co, Thai Blue Berry Service Co and TS Law and Business Co.
On average, those who earned less than 10,000 baht from berry picking will receive a 25% refund of 75,000 baht.
Mr Paitoon said the payment is to alleviate the hardship of almost 300 workers who recently returned home from Sweden broke and disappointed.
They had borrowed between 80,000-150,000 baht each to travel to Sweden but poor berry yields led them to make only small amounts of money.
He said the Labour Ministry will discuss the matter with the Sweden Forest Berries Association and try to guarantee minimum earnings for the workers next year.
Chaiyuth Kijsawat, managing director of Siam Royal Services, said the company can only give a 20,000 baht refund to each of the workers.
He said the firm's financial status is not so good either but it is willing settle the dispute so it will not affect the company's quota to send workers next year.
Hatsaya Kennok, a berry picker, yesterday called on labour authorities to step in to ensure fair employment.
She said it is time the government put in place a management scheme for those who seek to pick wild berries in Sweden.
Meanwhile, Sampan Sakuldee, another worker from Nakhon Ratchasima,said she and her husband took out 200,000 baht in loans to be berry pickers and are likely to lose their last land plot which was placed as collateral.
She said that the refund offered by the job agency is not enough to pay the interest on her loans.
She said that there are some 20 other couples who suffered the same fate and many of them feel their families are falling apart due to financial stress.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
SPENDING SET TO RISE FOR VEGGIE FEST
After starting the guaranteed crop price project early this month, the government yesterday released the first list of recommended prices for rice, maize and cassava to be used as a reference by farmers.
"The regular announcement of the recommended prices for rice, maize and cassava will ensure that farmers get fair payment from millers and traders," Yanyong Phuangrach, acting permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said yesterday.
All the recommended prices were lower than the government's guaranteed prices, as farm good prices have fallen in the market.
The list of recommended prices would come out every 15 days, on the first and 15th day of each month.
In case farmers receive less than the guaranteed income from selling their crops, the government would pay the farmers the difference between the guaranteed and recommended prices.
For October 1-15, the recommended price for jasmine paddy rice is Bt14, 986 a tonne, while the guarantee price is set at Bt15,300 a tonne. The recommended price of white paddy rice is Bt8,806 a tonne, while the guaranteed price is Bt10,000 a tonne.
The recommended price for Pathum paddy rice is Bt9,896 a tonne, while the guaranteed price is Bt9,896 a tonne. The recommended price for sticky paddy rice is Bt7,523 a tonne and the guaranteed price is Bt9,500 a tonne.
The recommended price for cassava is Bt1.40 a kilogram, while the guarantee price is Bt1.70. The recommended price of maize is Bt5.50 a kilogram and the guaranteed price is Bt7.10.
A ministry source said that although the government's guaranteed price programme is now in place, farmers have not yet participated in it as the recommended prices have just been announced.
"The regular announcement of the recommended prices for rice, maize and cassava will ensure that farmers get fair payment from millers and traders," Yanyong Phuangrach, acting permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said yesterday.
All the recommended prices were lower than the government's guaranteed prices, as farm good prices have fallen in the market.
The list of recommended prices would come out every 15 days, on the first and 15th day of each month.
In case farmers receive less than the guaranteed income from selling their crops, the government would pay the farmers the difference between the guaranteed and recommended prices.
For October 1-15, the recommended price for jasmine paddy rice is Bt14, 986 a tonne, while the guarantee price is set at Bt15,300 a tonne. The recommended price of white paddy rice is Bt8,806 a tonne, while the guaranteed price is Bt10,000 a tonne.
The recommended price for Pathum paddy rice is Bt9,896 a tonne, while the guaranteed price is Bt9,896 a tonne. The recommended price for sticky paddy rice is Bt7,523 a tonne and the guaranteed price is Bt9,500 a tonne.
The recommended price for cassava is Bt1.40 a kilogram, while the guarantee price is Bt1.70. The recommended price of maize is Bt5.50 a kilogram and the guaranteed price is Bt7.10.
A ministry source said that although the government's guaranteed price programme is now in place, farmers have not yet participated in it as the recommended prices have just been announced.
Monday, September 21, 2009
COOKING WITH COCONUTS
Bunches of coconuts in various stages of maturity.
The answer is yes and no.
In the past, the coconuts used in cooking were harvested when they were still young and green, and sold for their tender meat and sweet juice. After a new variety called maphrao nam hom - which literally translates to "coconut with a fragrant juice" - was developed, the former lost favour and most of the green coconuts now sold at the market are of the new variety.
Maphrao nam hom seems to have been developed specially to be eaten when it is still green. Its juice and young, tender meat have a certain fragrance lacking in the old variety, and are also sweeter. The tree is more prolific, and as it is only about two to three metres tall, the nuts are easier to harvest than those of the cooking variety, which grows to about 20-metres tall.
In Thailand coconut trees are planted on large plantations and small groves. They can be seen along seashores, as well as in gardens where the maphrao nam hom graces the front lawn while the coconut used in cooking towers in the backyard.
Nearly all provinces in Thailand have coconut trees but the southern provinces, from Phetchaburi and Chumphon down to Samui island in Surat Thani, are known for their plantations of coconuts used in cooking, while Sam Phran in Nakhon Pathom is famous for maphrao nam hom.
The coconut tree starts bearing fruit about seven years after planting, and reaches full bearing capacity when it is 10 years old. The fruiting starts when a solid green sheath, known as the spathe or spadix, appears among the green leaves that look like giant fern fronds.
After a few days the spadix opens to expose the flowers, which are transformed into coconuts after pollination by friendly insects. Every month hence, a new spadix appears and new flowers open, until the base of the leaves are surrounded by about a dozen bunches or clusters of nuts in varying stages of maturity.
Seven or eight months after pollination, the coconut can be harvested as the prized maphrao awn, or green coconut, which is sold for its sweet, refreshing juice. At this age the white, jelly-like meat that lines the inside of the shell can be easily scraped from the shell with a spoon and is also eaten.
MATURE COCONUTS FOR COOKING: The coconut reaches maturity 12 months after pollination.
At 10 months, the coconut is either too old to be served as a beverage as the water has turned bland. Its meat, still too young to be pressed for milk, can no longer be scraped with a spoon and has to be grated off the shell for use as a topping or garnish for sweets and desserts.
Twelve months after pollination, the coconut reaches maturity and begins to turn brown. Once it is brown, the shell is removed from the husk and split in half. The white meat, on the average about 10mm thick, is grated off the shell and then hand-pressed for its milk. It is this milk that is used for cooking the many dishes and desserts of which Thailand is known for.
As each bunch of coconuts matures, the accompanying leaf also starts to dry up, turns brown, and eventually drops off. However, there is nothing to worry about, as new leaves and new bunches of fruit will appear at the crown in a continuous process of renewal that goes on and on for at least 60 years.
At old age, the tree no longer responds to care, its leaves become narrow and fruiting becomes irregular. However, plantation owners usually do not wait for their trees to die of old age. After the trees have been bearing fruit for 30 to 40 years, they start to replace these with new seedlings.
Some plantation owners do not even wait that long to replace old trees. When a new, better variety that brings better returns comes up, they replace the old trees with the new variety, which is the reason why most of the green coconuts now sold at Bangkok's markets are maphrao nam hom.
However, in southern Thailand, where coconuts used in cooking are more prevalent, I am sure you can still buy green coconuts of the old variety.
Some people avoid eating dishes using coconut because they think it is oily and fattening, but studies have found that coconut oil in fact is good for the health and has many healing properties. But that's another story.
Post your comments or questions about plants and gardening on the readers' forum at http://www.thaigreenfingers.com, or email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
The answer is yes and no.
In the past, the coconuts used in cooking were harvested when they were still young and green, and sold for their tender meat and sweet juice. After a new variety called maphrao nam hom - which literally translates to "coconut with a fragrant juice" - was developed, the former lost favour and most of the green coconuts now sold at the market are of the new variety.
Maphrao nam hom seems to have been developed specially to be eaten when it is still green. Its juice and young, tender meat have a certain fragrance lacking in the old variety, and are also sweeter. The tree is more prolific, and as it is only about two to three metres tall, the nuts are easier to harvest than those of the cooking variety, which grows to about 20-metres tall.
In Thailand coconut trees are planted on large plantations and small groves. They can be seen along seashores, as well as in gardens where the maphrao nam hom graces the front lawn while the coconut used in cooking towers in the backyard.
Nearly all provinces in Thailand have coconut trees but the southern provinces, from Phetchaburi and Chumphon down to Samui island in Surat Thani, are known for their plantations of coconuts used in cooking, while Sam Phran in Nakhon Pathom is famous for maphrao nam hom.
The coconut tree starts bearing fruit about seven years after planting, and reaches full bearing capacity when it is 10 years old. The fruiting starts when a solid green sheath, known as the spathe or spadix, appears among the green leaves that look like giant fern fronds.
After a few days the spadix opens to expose the flowers, which are transformed into coconuts after pollination by friendly insects. Every month hence, a new spadix appears and new flowers open, until the base of the leaves are surrounded by about a dozen bunches or clusters of nuts in varying stages of maturity.
Seven or eight months after pollination, the coconut can be harvested as the prized maphrao awn, or green coconut, which is sold for its sweet, refreshing juice. At this age the white, jelly-like meat that lines the inside of the shell can be easily scraped from the shell with a spoon and is also eaten.
MATURE COCONUTS FOR COOKING: The coconut reaches maturity 12 months after pollination.
At 10 months, the coconut is either too old to be served as a beverage as the water has turned bland. Its meat, still too young to be pressed for milk, can no longer be scraped with a spoon and has to be grated off the shell for use as a topping or garnish for sweets and desserts.
Twelve months after pollination, the coconut reaches maturity and begins to turn brown. Once it is brown, the shell is removed from the husk and split in half. The white meat, on the average about 10mm thick, is grated off the shell and then hand-pressed for its milk. It is this milk that is used for cooking the many dishes and desserts of which Thailand is known for.
As each bunch of coconuts matures, the accompanying leaf also starts to dry up, turns brown, and eventually drops off. However, there is nothing to worry about, as new leaves and new bunches of fruit will appear at the crown in a continuous process of renewal that goes on and on for at least 60 years.
At old age, the tree no longer responds to care, its leaves become narrow and fruiting becomes irregular. However, plantation owners usually do not wait for their trees to die of old age. After the trees have been bearing fruit for 30 to 40 years, they start to replace these with new seedlings.
Some plantation owners do not even wait that long to replace old trees. When a new, better variety that brings better returns comes up, they replace the old trees with the new variety, which is the reason why most of the green coconuts now sold at Bangkok's markets are maphrao nam hom.
However, in southern Thailand, where coconuts used in cooking are more prevalent, I am sure you can still buy green coconuts of the old variety.
Some people avoid eating dishes using coconut because they think it is oily and fattening, but studies have found that coconut oil in fact is good for the health and has many healing properties. But that's another story.
Post your comments or questions about plants and gardening on the readers' forum at http://www.thaigreenfingers.com, or email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Fruit exporters seal deal
Chanthaburi fruit exporters have made a business agreement with China Shipping Bangkok Co to use the liner as its main carrier for transporting produce abroad.
The agreement was signed yesterday by the association of fresh and frozen fruit exporters of Chanthaburi, the provincial administration organisation, and the shipping line.
Under the agreement, local exporters agree to supply a sufficient volume of fresh and frozen fruit of at least 500 containers next season while the liner will provide more stable freight rates,especially for export routes to cities in China, a major Thai fruit destination.
Pojana Sudsaweang, vice-president of G All Season Co, the province's leading fruit exporter, said China Shipping offered a rate of US$1,100 for a 40-foot container delivery to Guangzhou.
The exporters also asked the liner to stabilise rates to other routes such as the US.
To ensure the association has enough supply next year, it has joined with the provincial administration, with support from the Internal Trade Department, to open a new fruit centre in Tha Mai,Chanthaburi over the weekend to serve as a hub to assemble fresh produce from around the province.
A source from the Internal Trade Department said the centre, built under the government's economic stimulus package, was also designed as a regional centre for gathering and distributing agricultural products for export because of its ideal location near the Gulf of Thailand.
According to the source, the department has obtained about 100 million baht from the stimulus budget to build farm markets in several provinces.
The agreement was signed yesterday by the association of fresh and frozen fruit exporters of Chanthaburi, the provincial administration organisation, and the shipping line.
Under the agreement, local exporters agree to supply a sufficient volume of fresh and frozen fruit of at least 500 containers next season while the liner will provide more stable freight rates,especially for export routes to cities in China, a major Thai fruit destination.
Pojana Sudsaweang, vice-president of G All Season Co, the province's leading fruit exporter, said China Shipping offered a rate of US$1,100 for a 40-foot container delivery to Guangzhou.
The exporters also asked the liner to stabilise rates to other routes such as the US.
To ensure the association has enough supply next year, it has joined with the provincial administration, with support from the Internal Trade Department, to open a new fruit centre in Tha Mai,Chanthaburi over the weekend to serve as a hub to assemble fresh produce from around the province.
A source from the Internal Trade Department said the centre, built under the government's economic stimulus package, was also designed as a regional centre for gathering and distributing agricultural products for export because of its ideal location near the Gulf of Thailand.
According to the source, the department has obtained about 100 million baht from the stimulus budget to build farm markets in several provinces.
HIDDEN BEAUTY
Climbing fig, whose flowers are never seen,can be grown from cuttings with rewarding results By Normita Thongtham
My mother, who is visiting from the Philippines, is wondering why the climbing fig (Ficus pumila , or teen took kae in Thai) covering our fence suddenly has many fruit but she had not seen any flowers.
I told her that the green, pear-shaped "fruit" are actually the flowers. However,they are neither called fruit nor flowers,but syconia (singular syconium).
Figs are one of nature's greatest wonders.They bear tiny white flowers but no matter what species, no one ever sees them because they are clustered inside an outer covering, hidden from the human eye.
The only creature which sees the flowers is a special kind of wasp, which pollinates them by entering a small opening at the bottom of the syconium to lay its eggs.You will know that the flowers have been pollinated when the syconium becomes swollen. As it ripens, its colour turns from green to red, yellow, yellow-green, orange or maroon, depending on the fig's species.
Birds like to eat figs. They then scatter the seeds through their droppings. If you have been wondering why suddenly there is a banyan tree (Ficus religiosa ) seedling growing in your garden or on the crack in your fence, now you know how it turned up there.
Some seeds are deposited on the branches of trees, where they grow up to eventually strangle the host trees to death and take their place. You can see a perfect example of this in the grounds of Wat Bovornnives Voraviharn near Bang Lamphu in Bangkok, where a huge tree no less than 60 years old is now almost completely taken over by a strangler fig.
Thailand has several native species of figs. In the wild they can be seen growing near waterfalls or along streams. Most are non-edible, although some Thais in the North and Northeast found that the tasteless, unripe syconia of Ficus auriculata ,known locally as dua wa , could be eaten when cut in half, soaked in water and then cooked into kaeng som , a spicy sweetsour vegetable soup. In the South crunchy native figs are eaten with kanom jeen nam ya , or fresh vermicelli with fish curry topping.
Few Thais, however, like to eat the edible fig,Ficus carica . In last week's 'Green Fingers', I mentioned that my husband,ML Charuphant, likes fresh fig and to solve the problem of root rot and ensure that he gets a steady supply of the fruit, he planted figs in plastic baskets right outside his office in the Kasetsart University compound. Whenever a fig ripens, he gets to eat it fresh from the tree.
Except for birds and squirrels, he has no competition. His workers dare not eat the fruit, as they believe the filaments inside the fig are worms. They think that as the wasp entered the syconium to lay its eggs,the larvae would have nowhere else to go but live or die inside the fig. I say that if the larvae had died inside the fruit, then there would be no wasps left to propagate the figs.
Not all figs get pollinated. For years my climbing fig has been bearing syconia,which grow to nearly the size of a small hen's egg and remain on the plant for several months without being pollinated.This could be because the wasp that pollinates this particular species is lacking in our area.
Climbing fig is not easy to propagate from cuttings but once it is established, it is one of the easiest figs to grow and maintain. It thrives in almost all kinds of soil with good drainage and a sunny area. If planting it along a fence or wall, space plants 20 to 30cm apart. However, make sure that the fence or wall on which you want it to climb is not painted, as climbing fig seems to be put off by a painted surface.
Post your comments or questions on the readers'forum at www.thaigreenfingers.com, or by email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
My mother, who is visiting from the Philippines, is wondering why the climbing fig (Ficus pumila , or teen took kae in Thai) covering our fence suddenly has many fruit but she had not seen any flowers.
I told her that the green, pear-shaped "fruit" are actually the flowers. However,they are neither called fruit nor flowers,but syconia (singular syconium).
Figs are one of nature's greatest wonders.They bear tiny white flowers but no matter what species, no one ever sees them because they are clustered inside an outer covering, hidden from the human eye.
The only creature which sees the flowers is a special kind of wasp, which pollinates them by entering a small opening at the bottom of the syconium to lay its eggs.You will know that the flowers have been pollinated when the syconium becomes swollen. As it ripens, its colour turns from green to red, yellow, yellow-green, orange or maroon, depending on the fig's species.
Birds like to eat figs. They then scatter the seeds through their droppings. If you have been wondering why suddenly there is a banyan tree (Ficus religiosa ) seedling growing in your garden or on the crack in your fence, now you know how it turned up there.
Some seeds are deposited on the branches of trees, where they grow up to eventually strangle the host trees to death and take their place. You can see a perfect example of this in the grounds of Wat Bovornnives Voraviharn near Bang Lamphu in Bangkok, where a huge tree no less than 60 years old is now almost completely taken over by a strangler fig.
Thailand has several native species of figs. In the wild they can be seen growing near waterfalls or along streams. Most are non-edible, although some Thais in the North and Northeast found that the tasteless, unripe syconia of Ficus auriculata ,known locally as dua wa , could be eaten when cut in half, soaked in water and then cooked into kaeng som , a spicy sweetsour vegetable soup. In the South crunchy native figs are eaten with kanom jeen nam ya , or fresh vermicelli with fish curry topping.
Few Thais, however, like to eat the edible fig,Ficus carica . In last week's 'Green Fingers', I mentioned that my husband,ML Charuphant, likes fresh fig and to solve the problem of root rot and ensure that he gets a steady supply of the fruit, he planted figs in plastic baskets right outside his office in the Kasetsart University compound. Whenever a fig ripens, he gets to eat it fresh from the tree.
Except for birds and squirrels, he has no competition. His workers dare not eat the fruit, as they believe the filaments inside the fig are worms. They think that as the wasp entered the syconium to lay its eggs,the larvae would have nowhere else to go but live or die inside the fig. I say that if the larvae had died inside the fruit, then there would be no wasps left to propagate the figs.
Not all figs get pollinated. For years my climbing fig has been bearing syconia,which grow to nearly the size of a small hen's egg and remain on the plant for several months without being pollinated.This could be because the wasp that pollinates this particular species is lacking in our area.
Climbing fig is not easy to propagate from cuttings but once it is established, it is one of the easiest figs to grow and maintain. It thrives in almost all kinds of soil with good drainage and a sunny area. If planting it along a fence or wall, space plants 20 to 30cm apart. However, make sure that the fence or wall on which you want it to climb is not painted, as climbing fig seems to be put off by a painted surface.
Post your comments or questions on the readers'forum at www.thaigreenfingers.com, or by email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
Friday, September 4, 2009
GETTING TO THE MEAT OF THE ISSUE
Our resident vegetarian shares her experience of surviving in the "City of Carnivores".
Like a heretic, witch, or communist, I too have been branded.
Unlike my historically persecuted counterparts, my plight isn't rooted in grand religious or political causes, but something more humble - vegetarianism.
I know what it feels like to don a scarlet "V" as the one who cannot indulge in meat deluxe, seafood cocktail or bacon super delight when I go out with friends for a fine gourmet pizza.
I've been quite successful in resisting temptation since jumping on the herbivorous bandwagon almost two years ago. Bangkok even has the annual Kin Jae (vegetarian) Festival every October, which helps. But special treatment isn't afforded to my kind regularly. Socially, sometimes being vegetarian feels like an imposition, especially when it comes to eating with different groups of people in various situations.
Before Bangkok transforms into a haven for vegetarians next month, I've decided to share some of my meat-free experiences. This is my story of coping in the City of Carnivores.
THE VEGETARIAN MEETS A CURIOUS CARNIVORE
"So why did you decide to become vegetarian?"
It's a question all veggies have been asked by inquisitive non-veggies meeting them for the first time.Carnivores then tend to look at us expectantly, as if our answer will solve the mystery of why traffic always seems to move when you get out of the taxi to walk.
While we may be tempted to respond,"I decided to be vegetarian for the same reasons you chose to be annoying," don't let your crankiness get the better of you. That just gives people even more of a reason to dismiss vegetarians as a strange breed of irritable hippies.
From one diplomatic vegetarian to another, a better answer would be:"Well dear sire, the decision to eliminate meat from my diet is a complex story that spans decades of experience. In my sleep one night,I heard a voice telling me to follow the path of the papaya and that I would find a pot of somtam at the end."
What's wrong with a little sarcasm? It's bad enough that many non-vegetarians think we gave up meat because we want something good to happen to us in return. That's what going to temples, making merit,and joining charitable organisations are for. And of course, you can always borrow my line:"I'm a ThaiIndian girl, who does yoga and has her nose pierced, so isn't the next logical step for me to become a vegetarian?"
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY
All vegetarians should know that the love of true friends and family can be measured by how much meat an individual is willing to forego to accommodate them.
Being vegetarian becomes a little more complex when it's commonplace to have "family style meals" in Bangkok, where someone hogging their own dish is frowned upon. The nerve! But non-vegetarians should know better than to invite us out if they're not willing to get the ham on the side.
The best advice I can offer is to ensure that you train friends and family to compromise when it comes to different dietary preferences. In my case, the ordering process often sounds like this:Person 1:I really want the tom yam goong , chicken fried rice, and pla neung manao !Person 2:Yeah me too, but Sumati is here! We can't get that.Person 1:How about we get the tom yam without the shrimp, the fried rice without chicken, and just neung manao so she can eat it?Sumati:Aww, guys! Don't forget, no egg in the khao pad either!
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH CO-WORKERS
One of the best things about eating lunch at work - not to be confused with the other 50 times Thai people eat at the office - is going out for a particular type of meal. Tuesdays may be the day the lady who sells the best kuay tiew ped is in the area; Wednesdays may be khao man gai day; Thursdays is for yam pla dook foo - the choices are endless. Unfortunately, you'll rarely see people lining up around the soi for the best carrot vendor ever!
We vegetarians don't care if you want to be hunter-gatherers and obtain your moo krata , so nonvegetarian colleagues should really stop looking at us with pity. We really don't mind finding our own leafy vegetables elsewhere, and honestly, the sight of seeing you slurp cow's blood isn't really conducive to our beliefs. I don't mind when my esteemed colleagues want to indulge in "bird gizzard Fridays". Here's what some of my co-workers have to say about what it feels like to have a vegetarian tagging along to eat:Arglit,editor:"Eat meat or I'll sack you."Adam,sub-editor:"I don't mind eating with vegetarians. It's Sumati I can't stand."Oz, writer:"Bringing a vegetarian to dinner is like bringing your cousin with Tourette's syndrome; you love the dude but secretly wish they would get hit by a bus."
THE VEGETARIAN GOES ON A DATE
Contrary to what you may think, vegetarians don't need to date other vegetarians for a relationship to work. It's actually quite great to be the one with "special dietary needs" because you often get to choose the restaurant and you can always blame your crankiness on lack of vitamin B12.
The biggest problem some vegetarians face is the first date, especially when the potential Mr Sumati doesn't know that you're a veggie and takes you to a super-fancy seafood restaurant, with absolutely no vegetarian options on the menu.
In fact, each item sounds something like:"We mated a shrimp and a scallop to get a shrallop, then we mated that with tuna to get shrallopuna, and then finally threw in a shark for good measure to bring you shrallopunark!"
So what's an upstanding vegetarian like me to do in this situation? Well, I can tell you what I did, and I won't lie. I got the scallops.G
VEGGIE FOR LIFE
Helpful tips for maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet:
Add variety to your diet by incorporating lots of fruit and vegetables in a whole range of colours. Having a rainbow on your plate provides different nutritional benefits.
Protein is needed for healthy skin, bones,and muscles. Obtain this from soy products,lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dairy.
Get your calcium from dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin B12 is important in preventing anemia. While this nutrient is usually found in animal products, it can be obtained by taking a vitamin supplement, or in dairy products and egg.
Fill your iron intake with leafy green vegetables, beans, dried fruit, and enriched cereals.
Don't leave out zinc, which is important for the formation of protein. Nibble on whole grains and nuts.
Although Thai food uses lots of nam pla and nam man hoy to season dishes,vegetarians can ask for a light soy sauce.
If you find yourself eating a dish that has been cooked in a meaty stock - which is often the case - ignore it! Sometimes you have no choice but to move on!
KNOWYOUR ONIONS
Not all vegetarians are created equal. Different types of vegetarianism include:
Semi-Vegetarians (aka Flexitarians)
This person says,"I'm a vegetarian but I eat meat occasionally." Semi-vegetarians limit the amount of animal products consumed. Although it hasn't been proven, these people probably also say,"I'm a man, but I dress up like a girl occasionally." Subsets of this category can include "pescatarians", who eat fish.
Ovo-Lacto
the most common type Vegetarians This is of vegetarian. They don't eat meat, but eat eggs and dairy products.
Lacto Vegetarian Dairy products are acceptable for this kind of veg-head, but eggs are not. It's estimated Indians make up at least 70 per cent of the lactovegetarians in the world, based on a 2004 census study reported in The Hindu newspaper.
Fruitarians Although this sounds like a superhero, fruitarians eat, surprise, fruit!Fruit is consumed raw, and can include pineapples, mangoes, and berries. The fruitarian also consumes tomatoes,cucumbers, olives, seeds, and nuts. Another similar category to fruitarians are "raw or living foodists" who only eat uncooked food.
Vegans Don't even think about ingesting animal products if you're a vegan! Anything that comes from an animal is rejected by this type,including eggs, dairy, and honey.We wonder if vegans eat grass that a cow has stepped on?
EAT YOUR GREENS
You don't have to starve as a vegetarian in Bangkok. Here are some vegetarian (and vegfriendly) restaurants around the city:
Govinda (Italian)
6/5-6/6 Sukhumvit Soi 22. Open 11:30am-3pm,6pm-11pm; closed Tuesdays.02-663-4970.
Anotai (organic dishes also
Rama 9 Road, behind available)976/17 Rama 9 Hospital. Open 10am-9:30pm; closed Wednesdays.02-641-5366.
Dosa King (Indian)
153/7 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1. Open daily 11am-11pm.02-651-1700.
Khun Churn
G/F Bangkok Mediplex,Sukhumvit Soi 42. Open daily 10am-9pm.02-713-6599.
Chijuya (Japanese)
2/F Fifty-Fifth Plaza,Thong Lor Soi 2 (Sukhumvit Soi 55).Open daily 11:30am-2pm,5:30pm-9pm.02-392-1877.
May Kaidee (restaurant and cooking school)
Two locations at Ratchadamnoen Road,Bang Lamphu, near Khao San road; Walk around to the alley parallel to Tanao Road (behind Burger King);third location at 33 Samsen Soi 1. All locations open daily 9am-11pm.02-281-7699,www.maykaidee.com.
Like a heretic, witch, or communist, I too have been branded.
Unlike my historically persecuted counterparts, my plight isn't rooted in grand religious or political causes, but something more humble - vegetarianism.
I know what it feels like to don a scarlet "V" as the one who cannot indulge in meat deluxe, seafood cocktail or bacon super delight when I go out with friends for a fine gourmet pizza.
I've been quite successful in resisting temptation since jumping on the herbivorous bandwagon almost two years ago. Bangkok even has the annual Kin Jae (vegetarian) Festival every October, which helps. But special treatment isn't afforded to my kind regularly. Socially, sometimes being vegetarian feels like an imposition, especially when it comes to eating with different groups of people in various situations.
Before Bangkok transforms into a haven for vegetarians next month, I've decided to share some of my meat-free experiences. This is my story of coping in the City of Carnivores.
THE VEGETARIAN MEETS A CURIOUS CARNIVORE
"So why did you decide to become vegetarian?"
It's a question all veggies have been asked by inquisitive non-veggies meeting them for the first time.Carnivores then tend to look at us expectantly, as if our answer will solve the mystery of why traffic always seems to move when you get out of the taxi to walk.
While we may be tempted to respond,"I decided to be vegetarian for the same reasons you chose to be annoying," don't let your crankiness get the better of you. That just gives people even more of a reason to dismiss vegetarians as a strange breed of irritable hippies.
From one diplomatic vegetarian to another, a better answer would be:"Well dear sire, the decision to eliminate meat from my diet is a complex story that spans decades of experience. In my sleep one night,I heard a voice telling me to follow the path of the papaya and that I would find a pot of somtam at the end."
What's wrong with a little sarcasm? It's bad enough that many non-vegetarians think we gave up meat because we want something good to happen to us in return. That's what going to temples, making merit,and joining charitable organisations are for. And of course, you can always borrow my line:"I'm a ThaiIndian girl, who does yoga and has her nose pierced, so isn't the next logical step for me to become a vegetarian?"
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY
All vegetarians should know that the love of true friends and family can be measured by how much meat an individual is willing to forego to accommodate them.
Being vegetarian becomes a little more complex when it's commonplace to have "family style meals" in Bangkok, where someone hogging their own dish is frowned upon. The nerve! But non-vegetarians should know better than to invite us out if they're not willing to get the ham on the side.
The best advice I can offer is to ensure that you train friends and family to compromise when it comes to different dietary preferences. In my case, the ordering process often sounds like this:Person 1:I really want the tom yam goong , chicken fried rice, and pla neung manao !Person 2:Yeah me too, but Sumati is here! We can't get that.Person 1:How about we get the tom yam without the shrimp, the fried rice without chicken, and just neung manao so she can eat it?Sumati:Aww, guys! Don't forget, no egg in the khao pad either!
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH CO-WORKERS
One of the best things about eating lunch at work - not to be confused with the other 50 times Thai people eat at the office - is going out for a particular type of meal. Tuesdays may be the day the lady who sells the best kuay tiew ped is in the area; Wednesdays may be khao man gai day; Thursdays is for yam pla dook foo - the choices are endless. Unfortunately, you'll rarely see people lining up around the soi for the best carrot vendor ever!
We vegetarians don't care if you want to be hunter-gatherers and obtain your moo krata , so nonvegetarian colleagues should really stop looking at us with pity. We really don't mind finding our own leafy vegetables elsewhere, and honestly, the sight of seeing you slurp cow's blood isn't really conducive to our beliefs. I don't mind when my esteemed colleagues want to indulge in "bird gizzard Fridays". Here's what some of my co-workers have to say about what it feels like to have a vegetarian tagging along to eat:Arglit,editor:"Eat meat or I'll sack you."Adam,sub-editor:"I don't mind eating with vegetarians. It's Sumati I can't stand."Oz, writer:"Bringing a vegetarian to dinner is like bringing your cousin with Tourette's syndrome; you love the dude but secretly wish they would get hit by a bus."
THE VEGETARIAN GOES ON A DATE
Contrary to what you may think, vegetarians don't need to date other vegetarians for a relationship to work. It's actually quite great to be the one with "special dietary needs" because you often get to choose the restaurant and you can always blame your crankiness on lack of vitamin B12.
The biggest problem some vegetarians face is the first date, especially when the potential Mr Sumati doesn't know that you're a veggie and takes you to a super-fancy seafood restaurant, with absolutely no vegetarian options on the menu.
In fact, each item sounds something like:"We mated a shrimp and a scallop to get a shrallop, then we mated that with tuna to get shrallopuna, and then finally threw in a shark for good measure to bring you shrallopunark!"
So what's an upstanding vegetarian like me to do in this situation? Well, I can tell you what I did, and I won't lie. I got the scallops.G
VEGGIE FOR LIFE
Helpful tips for maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet:
Add variety to your diet by incorporating lots of fruit and vegetables in a whole range of colours. Having a rainbow on your plate provides different nutritional benefits.
Protein is needed for healthy skin, bones,and muscles. Obtain this from soy products,lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dairy.
Get your calcium from dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin B12 is important in preventing anemia. While this nutrient is usually found in animal products, it can be obtained by taking a vitamin supplement, or in dairy products and egg.
Fill your iron intake with leafy green vegetables, beans, dried fruit, and enriched cereals.
Don't leave out zinc, which is important for the formation of protein. Nibble on whole grains and nuts.
Although Thai food uses lots of nam pla and nam man hoy to season dishes,vegetarians can ask for a light soy sauce.
If you find yourself eating a dish that has been cooked in a meaty stock - which is often the case - ignore it! Sometimes you have no choice but to move on!
KNOWYOUR ONIONS
Not all vegetarians are created equal. Different types of vegetarianism include:
Semi-Vegetarians (aka Flexitarians)
This person says,"I'm a vegetarian but I eat meat occasionally." Semi-vegetarians limit the amount of animal products consumed. Although it hasn't been proven, these people probably also say,"I'm a man, but I dress up like a girl occasionally." Subsets of this category can include "pescatarians", who eat fish.
Ovo-Lacto
the most common type Vegetarians This is of vegetarian. They don't eat meat, but eat eggs and dairy products.
Lacto Vegetarian Dairy products are acceptable for this kind of veg-head, but eggs are not. It's estimated Indians make up at least 70 per cent of the lactovegetarians in the world, based on a 2004 census study reported in The Hindu newspaper.
Fruitarians Although this sounds like a superhero, fruitarians eat, surprise, fruit!Fruit is consumed raw, and can include pineapples, mangoes, and berries. The fruitarian also consumes tomatoes,cucumbers, olives, seeds, and nuts. Another similar category to fruitarians are "raw or living foodists" who only eat uncooked food.
Vegans Don't even think about ingesting animal products if you're a vegan! Anything that comes from an animal is rejected by this type,including eggs, dairy, and honey.We wonder if vegans eat grass that a cow has stepped on?
EAT YOUR GREENS
You don't have to starve as a vegetarian in Bangkok. Here are some vegetarian (and vegfriendly) restaurants around the city:
Govinda (Italian)
6/5-6/6 Sukhumvit Soi 22. Open 11:30am-3pm,6pm-11pm; closed Tuesdays.02-663-4970.
Anotai (organic dishes also
Rama 9 Road, behind available)976/17 Rama 9 Hospital. Open 10am-9:30pm; closed Wednesdays.02-641-5366.
Dosa King (Indian)
153/7 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1. Open daily 11am-11pm.02-651-1700.
Khun Churn
G/F Bangkok Mediplex,Sukhumvit Soi 42. Open daily 10am-9pm.02-713-6599.
Chijuya (Japanese)
2/F Fifty-Fifth Plaza,Thong Lor Soi 2 (Sukhumvit Soi 55).Open daily 11:30am-2pm,5:30pm-9pm.02-392-1877.
May Kaidee (restaurant and cooking school)
Two locations at Ratchadamnoen Road,Bang Lamphu, near Khao San road; Walk around to the alley parallel to Tanao Road (behind Burger King);third location at 33 Samsen Soi 1. All locations open daily 9am-11pm.02-281-7699,www.maykaidee.com.
Mango plan to boost exports
The Agriculture Ministry is developing a five-year strategic plan to promote sustainable growth in mango exports.
The plan, due to be implemented from 2010-14, would include plantation zoning, initially for the six eastern provinces,where premium-grade mangoes are grown. The provinces are Chachoengsao,Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Sa Kaeo,Prachin Buri and Chon Buri.
Mango cultivation in the region has plunged despite strong market demand,especially in export markets, said the Office of Agricultural Economics.
Land dedicated to growing mangoes has shrunk by 5% to about 160,500 rai this year - down from 169,300 rai last year - as farmers have switched to cash crops such as rubber and cassava, said Boonlap Sowanna, chief of the OAE's Zone 6 development and planning division.
Mango output from the six provinces dropped by almost 30% to 84,200 tonnes this year, down from 117,000 last year.
Meanwhile, foreign markets have shown strong demand -especially Japan, which imported about 1,500 tonnes of mangoes from Thailand last year, also sources the fruit from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Germany.
The agency has organised several meetings with growers, processors and exporters and will hold more talks before completing the strategy for implementation next year, said Mr Boonlap.
Promoting mangoes as a commercial crop will include registering growers,zoning each variety of mango, improving logistics and upgrading plantations to meet Good Agricultural Practice.
The plan aims at increasing the six provinces' annual output of mangoes to 126,000 tonnes by 2014. An average yield of 848 kilogrammes of mango per rai is targeted for 2014, up from 565 kg this year, to improve growers' income.
The production of export-oriented varieties of mango - Nam Doc Mai, Kiew Savoey, Maha Chanok and Choke Anan,Rad and Pimsen Daeng - would be increased to meet rising demand from both international and local markets.
The plan, due to be implemented from 2010-14, would include plantation zoning, initially for the six eastern provinces,where premium-grade mangoes are grown. The provinces are Chachoengsao,Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Sa Kaeo,Prachin Buri and Chon Buri.
Mango cultivation in the region has plunged despite strong market demand,especially in export markets, said the Office of Agricultural Economics.
Land dedicated to growing mangoes has shrunk by 5% to about 160,500 rai this year - down from 169,300 rai last year - as farmers have switched to cash crops such as rubber and cassava, said Boonlap Sowanna, chief of the OAE's Zone 6 development and planning division.
Mango output from the six provinces dropped by almost 30% to 84,200 tonnes this year, down from 117,000 last year.
Meanwhile, foreign markets have shown strong demand -especially Japan, which imported about 1,500 tonnes of mangoes from Thailand last year, also sources the fruit from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Germany.
The agency has organised several meetings with growers, processors and exporters and will hold more talks before completing the strategy for implementation next year, said Mr Boonlap.
Promoting mangoes as a commercial crop will include registering growers,zoning each variety of mango, improving logistics and upgrading plantations to meet Good Agricultural Practice.
The plan aims at increasing the six provinces' annual output of mangoes to 126,000 tonnes by 2014. An average yield of 848 kilogrammes of mango per rai is targeted for 2014, up from 565 kg this year, to improve growers' income.
The production of export-oriented varieties of mango - Nam Doc Mai, Kiew Savoey, Maha Chanok and Choke Anan,Rad and Pimsen Daeng - would be increased to meet rising demand from both international and local markets.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tests show "plastic" seaweed imported from China is real
Tests show seaweed imported from China thought to have been made of plastic is genuine, the Food and Drug Administration says.
Narangsan Phirakit, the FDA deputy secretary-general, said no trace of plastic had been found in the seaweed samples bought at a supermarket in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Consumers alerted authorities to the dried seaweed which they believed was fake. Parts of the seaweed looked and felt like plastic.
The tests were conducted by the Medical Sciences Department and the results revealed yesterday.
The chemical component analysis of the samples showed the product was natural seaweed, Dr Narangsan said.
Meanwhile, the FDA is considering banning the sale of "fashionable" dental braces following the death of a teenager in Khon Kaen.
Jutamas Chaisong,17, a Mathayom 5 (Grade 11) student, was thought to have died from a thyroid infection and heart complications on Aug 23 after she was fitted with cosmetic dental braces by an unlicensed practitioner, police said.
The Consumer Protection Board has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of the fashionable braces.
The board maintains there was no proof of the product's safety.
Phongphan Wongmanee, deputy secretary-general of the FDA, said dental braces were usually categorised as a medical instrument and could be fitted only by a licensed orthodontist.
The safety and quality of the braces was strictly controlled by the FDA, Dr Phongphan said.
The FDA also warned consumers against wearing counterfeit braces.
A recent safety test on the braces sold by roadside vendors showed they contained hazardous substances such as lead and arsenic.
Narangsan Phirakit, the FDA deputy secretary-general, said no trace of plastic had been found in the seaweed samples bought at a supermarket in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Consumers alerted authorities to the dried seaweed which they believed was fake. Parts of the seaweed looked and felt like plastic.
The tests were conducted by the Medical Sciences Department and the results revealed yesterday.
The chemical component analysis of the samples showed the product was natural seaweed, Dr Narangsan said.
Meanwhile, the FDA is considering banning the sale of "fashionable" dental braces following the death of a teenager in Khon Kaen.
Jutamas Chaisong,17, a Mathayom 5 (Grade 11) student, was thought to have died from a thyroid infection and heart complications on Aug 23 after she was fitted with cosmetic dental braces by an unlicensed practitioner, police said.
The Consumer Protection Board has ordered a temporary ban on the sale of the fashionable braces.
The board maintains there was no proof of the product's safety.
Phongphan Wongmanee, deputy secretary-general of the FDA, said dental braces were usually categorised as a medical instrument and could be fitted only by a licensed orthodontist.
The safety and quality of the braces was strictly controlled by the FDA, Dr Phongphan said.
The FDA also warned consumers against wearing counterfeit braces.
A recent safety test on the braces sold by roadside vendors showed they contained hazardous substances such as lead and arsenic.
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