The fruit of their labours

REPUTED FOR FRESHNESS and all-natural taste, Royal Project fruits and vegetables will once again be celebrated next week in a 10-day lifestyle feast at CentralWorld, with more than 3,000 products.
One of the two most remarkable personal initiatives of His Majesty the King, the project is this year showcasing its latest research and development in breeding with Her Majesty the Queen Mother’s gorgeous lisianthus flower, sweet yellow passion fruit and heart-shaped bitter gourd.
Since 1969, when His Majesty the King’s Royal Project was launched to develop high-altitude, cold-climate crops and prevent slash-and-burn agriculture, deforestation and the cultivation of narcotic plants, the project has salvaged sizeable tracts of woodland that naturally generates water and nurtures the well-being of the hilltribe people.
“Today the Royal Project cover the five provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun and Phayao, with more than 38 mountain sites and around 200,000 workers. This year production is down by about Bt970 million from the Bt1.2 billion last year, due to drought in some areas. We are planning to open a few more shops, ” says Dr Narongchai Pipattanawong, the Royal Project marketing director.
“The success of the project, I believe is the result of four working principles under His Majesty’s command: reduce procedures, do things fast, help the hilltribe people to help themselves, and do good without ostentation. Despite being an expanded non-profit organisation, we are not complicated. When our research team discovers something, we rapidly support the growers in turning it into a reality.”
Dr Narongchai adds that the project has few rules but those it has are strictly enforced.
“To control the quality of production, we insist that the gardeners grow fruits and vegetables using our seedlings only. They must not attempt to modify the seedlings. They should grow the plants that we give them in the right season. We have already studied in depth the growing areas, the type of soil, the climate, the water allocation and other factors that might affect the crops. However, after they harvest, the gardeners can sell the produce either to the Royal Project or other markets. That is their decision. Since our aim is to be a social enterprise, we are more than happy to see our farmers support themselves. Profit is not the main focus, so we take only about 10-15 percent of the revenue to cover marketing expenses, distribution and so on,” he explains.
“One of our key strengths in ensuring our fruit and vegetables are outstanding comes from reducing their ‘breathability’ as fast as possible. Once picked, they go into a cool room even if they are not packed. For the packing, we use bio-mass packaging, which is not only biodegradable but also helps in sustainable storage. Then they are taken in our temperature-regulated trucks straight from the mountain hills to our stores, leading supermarkets and hotels nationwide. That’s why they keep their taste and flavour, even if you keep them in your refrigerator for several days,” says Narongchai.
With the coming Asean Economic Community, Narongchai, says production methods have been prepared to help growers in neighbouring countries. “We do everything to international standards and as a non-profit foundation, we can transfer our know-how to our neighbours like Laos and Myanmar. Many villagers there still grow the opium poppy, and our success proves that we can be a role model in equitable solutions.”
Yet despite its success, the Royal Project is finding it increasingly hard to find voluntary agricultural researchers.
“It is essential that we transfer knowledge to new generation researchers. Many of us are now old and several members of our team have already passed away. While young researchers are very smart, they do not have the same understanding or appreciation of the Royal Project. They are also less interested in working in the field. We need to invite them to spend more time in the hills visiting farms so that they become more grounded and down to earth,” the director notes.
This year, the Royal Project is introducing new production, among them the sweet yellow passion fruit, which is guaranteed to win fans at first bite. Bigger, fleshier, sweeter and more succulent than the usual passion fruit, it has a slight honey aftertaste and is packed with vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A and caroteniod, which benefit the eyesight and skin. Passion fruit also contains more vitamin C than lemon, and the albumin homologous protein it contains acts as a natural fungicide, eases insomnia, reduces cholesterol and soothes bladder inflammation.
Another delectable product likely to shine at the fair this year is heart-shaped bitter gourd. Known as the “Valentine” breed, it boasts a bright green and shiny skin. Unlike other breeds of bitter gourds, the Valentine is not too bitter. Its crunchy flesh can be made enjoyed a variety of ways including as a clear soup, stir-fried with egg or chilli paste and even raw fresh with assorted chilli dips and fresh shrimp in fish sauce (goong chae nam pla). It was first planted at the project’s Pang Da Station to offer more choice to the modern consumer who prefers to buy smaller vegetables to cook the same day.
The heart-shaped bitter gourd is also packed with health-boosting benefits, including momodicine, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamins B1 and B3, beta carotene, fibre, iron and potassium. It has been shown to increase insulin production and contains an enzyme that helps digest sugar and carbohydrates, easing liver disease and diabetes. Bitter gourd can also relieve hepatitis, knee joint pain and inflamed spleen.
Last but not least is the floral delight, lisianthus, a flower native to North America. A bouquet of lisianthus has delicate, soft petals that come in variety of colours from white, peach, pink, purple to white with a purple rim. Lisianthus adds gentle sweetness to any flower arrangements, thanks to its aerial, dream-like form and colour. It is also used widely for wedding as it symbolises lasting friendship and good memories. In Thailand, lisianthus is mainly planted at Centre of Agricultural Research of Maejo University in Chiang Mai.
The fair will also feature yellow cherry tomatoes, Chinese mustard green, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and organic chayote, as well as fruits from sweet purple passion fruit, avocado, persimmon and figs.
Recommended processed foods include white radish kimchi made that is high in gamma-aminobutyric acid or gaba and helps calms the mind. There is also crispy shitake and ready-to-drink cape gooseberry and passion fruit juices. Meat eaters can snap up smoked Bresse chicken and smoked pheasant, as well as organic chicken eggs, canned black-bone chicken soup and a variety of products made from mushrooms
Not to be missed is an array of recommended products from the Doi Kham brand. Highlights include tomato juice, tomato mocktail with strawberry and passion fruit, low-sodium tomato juice and selected products made from fresh tomatoes. All are the fruit of the tomato plantation at the Third Royal Factory (Tao Ngoy) and a part of the Tomato Belt project, launched at the Moon River plain in the north of Isaan. The project was initiated by His Majesty the King to generate sustainable income for farmers in rural areas.

 FRESH AND TASTY
- Royal Project 46 runs from August 7 to 16 at CentralWorld in Bangkok.
- For more details, check www.RoyalProjectThailand.com.