Organic longan
Posted by ichatmedia | Under Organic Food, Organic vs Conventional, Sustainable and Organic Business, Top Organic Food Monday Aug 11, 2008
In Chiang Mai longan growers in northern Thailand have successfully sold 10 tons of peeled and dehydrated organic longan, the first pesticide free dried longan that shipped from the country. Managing director of Prompungwahn Co., Prokchon Pramgungwahn said that “the volume is also much lower than demand warrants, and strong market growth for healthy products has prompted us to spurn chemically grown longan”. Prompungwahn Co. is a lead company in the cluster that groups 30 longan growers in Chiang Mai and Lamphun.
The cluster was formed last year with the support of German Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and the Institute of Product Quality and Standardization of Maejo University, which aims to open niche markets and promote sustainable growth for longan growers. The agency will take 18 months to certify all production process and give its approval. They joined the international organic standard system in 2007 and organic longan from the 2008 cultivation season is awaiting certification from the Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand.
About 130 tons of organic longan were produce this year, and with 110 tons dehydrated to produce 10 ton of dried and peeled longan, or Lamyai Sri Thong.
