Mrs. Angkhana Buddhasri, Director of the 7th Chai Nat Agricultural Economics Office (Nor Sor Sor.7), reveals the results of monitoring the operation of the Asparagus Community Enterprise Group. The group is based in Ban Pluak Sung, Tha Din Dam Sub-district, Chai Badan District of Lop Buri Province and has 25 members. The total planting area is 46 rai (836 acres), with an average of 2 rai (0.79 acres) per household. Under the framework of the ‘BCG Model’ economic model, the produce is certified under GAP standards and organic agriculture standards including Organic Thailand, United States Organic Standards (USDA Organic), European Union Organic Agriculture Standards (EU) and Participatory Organic Agriculture.
The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) found that this asparagus organization is a community enterprise group. It is integrated with various agencies, including the Department of Groundwater Resources. The Chai Badan district’s Agriculture Office and the Bank for Agriculture & Agricultural Cooperatives as well as the Siam Kubota Corporation Company Limited, have all come to support and donate equipment. These include tractors and solar panels for operating solar water wells. There is also emerging support for the community enterprise groups to turn into learning centers for agricultural plot management systems with intelligent agriculture technology (Handy Sense).
In one year, up to 4 generations of organic asparagus can be produced, which start yielding 4 months after planting. Last year, the average yield of organic asparagus was 150-200 kg per day, an average of 15 kg per rai per day, with an average annual production of 24,000 kg. The average return is 288,000 baht per rai per year, or the average household income is 576,000 baht per year.
Almost all organic asparagus produce is exported to the European Union by trading through contract farming courtesy of Natural and Premium Food Co., Ltd., with the Chai Badan District Agricultural Office acting as the responsible agency. The produce is sold through the RedMart platform, which is a large online sales center affiliated with Lazada, and the rest of the products is sold to Chai Badan Hospital. Here, they make food for patients, taking into account the safety of consumption, for these are chemical-free products.
As for the implementation of the BCG Model, the group manages resources and waste materials for maximum benefit, and creates added value by using graded asparagus to produce asparagus soap.
Asparagus balm syrup linked to the circular economy
The group also hires children of villagers in the area who have graduated with knowledge in each area to work in various departments of the group. These include accounting, technical crafts, marketing, finance, e.t.c. The work is environmentally friendly for the group procures and buys inputs used in the production of organic asparagus from raw materials within the community. Examples include buying compost out of organic chicken manure from the natural laying hens of the group.
“In addition to being a group of successful organic farmers who generate renewable income for farmers and communities, the group is also a knowledge service. It runs a learning center to increase the efficiency of agricultural production (Khor Kor.) in organic agriculture. There are lecturers who lecture to those who are interested about the organic farming system, the Internet of Things (IOT) and solar water systems, along with having technicians to provide advice and installation services,” said the director of Sor. 7.
Source: Thairath.co.th