The government praised ARDA's research collaboration with Mahidol University that led to the creation of "Jasmine Rice 105 Young Leaf Tea," transforming rice leaves into a health beverage that adds value and generates income for farmers.
25 Oct 2026 GMT+7 Major Phattharadasmi Thongsaluaykorn, Deputy Spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that the government commends the use of research and innovation to add value to Thai agricultural products, especially the development of "Jasmine Rice 105" from the Thung Kula Rong Hai area in Roi Et province into the product "Jasmine Rice 105 Young Leaf Tea." This alternative beverage appeals to consumers interested in natural products and has gained attention through online exposure, demonstrating the potential to create many new products from Thai agricultural produce.
Dr. Thawisak Thanadechoporn, Director of the Agricultural Research Development Agency (ARDA), emphasized promoting agricultural research and innovation for commercial benefit and economic opportunities for farmers. ARDA, together with Mahidol University, is conducting a technology transfer project on cultivating and producing tea from young Jasmine Rice 105 leaves to develop livelihoods in Roi Et province, aiming to enhance traditional rice sales into value-added products that meet food and beverage market demands.
Behind this innovation is Associate Professor Dr. Supat Chaikool, a nutrition science lecturer at Mahidol University's Faculty of Public Health, who leads the research project developing knowledge from cultivation and harvesting to raw material quality control and processing to ensure the young Jasmine Rice 105 leaves can be commercially utilized.
The research's highlight is recognizing the value of the rice plant from its young leaves, not just waiting to harvest the grains. The developed technology allows a cultivation period of about 28 days, enabling harvesting young leaves up to three times per production cycle under proper management. This provides farmers with more frequent product output and supplementary income alongside traditional rice farming.
The pilot project in Roi Et involved over 350 farmers across five districts: Kaset Wisai, Suwannaphum, Pathum Rat, Phon Sai, and Nong Hi. It included knowledge transfer on planting management, young leaf quality care, processing, and market development. Project data show yield per rai increased by over 80%, and commercial scaling added about 1,500-2,000 baht per rai in income. Results depend on production methods and market acceptance.
Besides producing tea leaves, young Jasmine Rice 105 leaves can be processed into powders for various beverages and foods, including tea, lattes, smoothies, and bakery products. This opens opportunities for coffee shops, food businesses, and processing industries to use Thai rice raw materials to create new products, offering consumers more choices and expanding market opportunities for farmers.
The Deputy Government Spokesperson added, "This is an example of research addressing real economic challenges. Traditionally, farmers earn mainly from rice grains, but now they can utilize other plant parts to create new products, linking researchers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. This increases market opportunities and diversifies Thai agricultural products to compete through value and innovation. ‘Jasmine Rice 105 Young Leaf Tea’ is not merely turning rice fields into tea but opening a new perspective that rice has value from young leaves to grains, providing farmers with alternatives and sustainable opportunities to bring local raw materials into high-value processed product markets."