Thailand’s Tobacco Monopoly Welcomes an Overseas Partner in the Fight Against Viral Diseases in Tobacco
Thailand’s Tobacco Monopoly, a state-owned enterprise within the Royal Thai Government’s Ministry of Finance, is pleased to announce that it has established an experimental project, in cooperation with Singapore’s Gold Dragon Investment Pte Ltd, with the goal of boosting immunity against viral diseases in the tobacco plant.
The project, designed specifically around the Virginia, Burley and Turkish strains, marks the first time that tobacco has been used as an experimental subject with the aim of increasing production yields through increased resistance to viral infection, a process which is thought to have wide application to other plants and agricultural products in the country, and which will directly improve the well-being of farmers through sustainable development.
In reporting on the establishment of the experimental project, Mr. Torsak Chotimongkol, Managing Director of the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, said,
Viral diseases of tobacco have been a major problem for tobacco farmers, resulting in production losses of as much as 30 percent of the total yield, and the commensurate financial burden that places on growers.
These diseases are present at every step of the tobacco plant’s life cycle, from nursery sprout until fully-grown and ready for harvest. Five specific viruses – the leaf-curl virus, mosaic virus, streak virus, spotted virus and potato virus Y – have been shown to affect the yield and quality of tobacco leaf, reducing its price in the marketplace and hurting the income of growers directly. The commonplace method of controlling these viruses relies on chemical pesticides which present health risks to farmers and the residue of which is often found in cultivated leaves.
Gold Dragon Investment Pte Ltd of Singapore was chosen as the prime consulting partner for the effort. The firm employs several specialists in viral diseases and has undertaken a number of important research projects focusing on plant and animal viruses. Mr. Chatchaval Jiaravanon, Chairman of the Board of Gold Dragon Investment said recently that,
Gold Dragon is very pleased to participate with the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly in this groundbreaking experimental project.“Boosting Immunity Against Viral Disease in Tobacco” is in keeping with their long-standing efforts to improve the lives of tobacco farmers in Thailand through the development of environmentally friendly, pesticide-free agricultural techniques and practices which meet the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards.
Our company is the ideal partner for the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly. Our scientific staff are recognized experts in studying these diseases and have a track record of success in experimental work in several countries around the world, including Israel and Russia. Our hope is that this joint research project will be of real benefit and lead to the development of new organic treatments for viral diseases.
The joint experimental project will be undertaken in two parts. The first, which will be conducted in Indonesia’s virology laboratory and the experimental nursery of the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly’s Maejo Tobacco Experimental Station (a function of the Sukhothai and Nakhon Phanom Tobacco Offices). Viral samples will be collected and analyzed in the laboratory. The second part of the project will involve the planting of tobacco in a greenhouse, where, in a controlled climate, the plants will be continuously monitored through cultivation and harvest to assess the quality improvements
The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly hopes this joint effort will be a significant factor in revolutionizing the Thai agricultural industry, helping to streamline the value chain by allowing farmers to boost yields and produce higher quality products. It is designed with real-world commercial application in mind, with the partners’ ultimate goal being production of the world’s first tobacco seeds with enhanced viral immunity, for eventual export around the world.
