On June 25, 2024, Asia Oil and Herb Co., Ltd. hosted a visit from high-level executives of RAIN (Thailand, Regional Agriculture Innovation Network), led by Mr. William Spark, the organization's chairman. The delegation toured the production processes of Soil Digest and Plant Being to gain in-depth information about the manufacturing process and the latest product research and development.
The main objective of this visit was to assess the readiness of the production facility to meet the product demand for the first phase of the project, set to begin in 2024. This phase will cover an agricultural area of 100,000 rai (approximately 39,500 acres) in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand.
A highlight of the visit was the presentation of Soil Digest/Plant Being products, which are agricultural innovations with outstanding properties. These products contain Bacillus sp. bacterial strains that function both as PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) and have the ability to decompose organic matter. Soil Digest can decompose rice stubble within just 7-14 days, helping to reduce stubble burning, which is a major cause of PM 2.5 dust problems in agricultural areas. Additionally, it helps reduce methane emissions in flooded rice fields, which is a greenhouse gas that impacts climate change.
During the visit, the RAIN executives received briefings on:
1. The modern and efficient production processes of the manufacturing plant
2. The latest product research and development efforts, focusing on increasing productivity and sustainability in the agricultural sector
3. Current production capacity and future expansion plans to meet growing demand
The pilot project will be implemented in the northern and northeastern regions, which are important agricultural areas of the country and regions that continually face air pollution problems from burning rice stubble and straw. The project plans to provide training for local farmers on the effective use of Soil Digest and will monitor and evaluate the product's performance in different environmental conditions and agricultural systems across each region.