Thailand Takes A Bite Out Of Organics

"Rai Plook Rak Farm, in Ratchaburi province, is one of many certified organic farms that have sprung up across Thailand in recent years hoping for a slice of the burgeoning market for all things chemical-free.

Once considered a niche market for eccentrics, "organic" has exploded into an international phenomenon worth an annual 26 billion dollars. And Thai farmers are cultivating the trend.

In 2005 the Thai organic market was estimated at 805 million baht (23 million dollars), up 145 percent from 2002.

In 2005, about 21,700 hectares (53,600 acres) of farmland was certified as organic, a 900 percent increase from four years earlier.

"I have really noticed the increasing popularity of organic food," said farm owner Kaan Ritkhachorn, who began cultivating the plot eight years ago.

"Everybody is becoming a lot more health-conscious. A decade ago people didn't really know it existed."

Ninety percent of the farm's vegetables go to supermarkets in Bangkok, with 10 percent exported, mainly to Singapore.

The shift in Thai attitudes towards organic food is clear. In 2005, domestic consumption was estimated to have overtaken exports, easing concerns in the industry about fluctuations in international markets."

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