Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited Cha-am and Tha Yang districts in Phetchaburi Province on Thursday, 3 July, to observe progress on agricultural development projects under royal initiative.
Her Royal Highness began the visit at Samran Farm in Cha-am District, operated by Mr. Chuean and Mrs. Samran Chaituam, long-standing members of the Cha-am-Huai Sai Dairy Cooperative. The farm has been engaged in dairy farming for over 26 years. In 2022, it encountered difficulties due to increasing production costs. In response, the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board (ORDPB) collaborated with King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States to conduct research and offer guidance aimed at improving operations.
As a result, Samran Farm is now considered a model for local dairy farmers. It holds Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification and manages 114 Holstein Friesian cows. The farm spans 75 rai, with 50 rai allocated to cattle and 25 rai for growing Ruzi grass. Cows are fed a combination of roughage made from agricultural by-products, Ruzi and Napier grasses during the rainy season, as well as powdered feed and mineral supplements. The farm supplies around 680 kilograms of raw milk daily to cooperative centres and to the Huai Sai Royal Development Study Centre, where it is used in fresh milk ice cream production. The monthly net income is approximately 88,000 baht.
The farm receives ongoing support from various government agencies, including the Phetchaburi Provincial Livestock Office, which advises on disease control and vaccinations. The District Livestock Office and the Ratchaburi Artificial Insemination and Biotechnology Research Centre assist with reproductive health, while the Animal Nutrition Research and Development Centre provides feed during shortages and helps improve forage quality.
The Cha-am-Huai Sai Dairy Cooperative has been operating for 42 years. With 98 members and two milk collection centres, the cooperative encourages self-reliance among farmers. It plays a key role in the “Promoting Dairy Farming to Reduce Pineapple Cultivation” project and is working towards stable and sustainable income for future generations.
In the afternoon, Her Royal Highness visited the Khao Krabok Agricultural Training Centre in Tha Yang District. Situated on more than 34 rai of restored forest land, the centre promotes organic farming and aims to raise environmental awareness, particularly among young people. It features integrated agriculture zones, vegetable gardens, fruit plots, and demonstration areas for biocontrol methods, natural soil enrichment, and waste management systems such as earthworm composting.
Livestock at the centre includes hybrid goats, chickens, and ducks. The centre is certified under the Department of Agriculture’s GAP standards for food crops and shares knowledge with other projects such as the Chang Hua Man Royal Project. It also operates a retail outlet selling produce and other products grown or processed on-site.
Her Royal Highness later visited the Nine-Sided Pavilion at the Chang Hua Man Royal Project, where she paid respects before a statue of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great. At the project’s reception hall, she reviewed progress on initiatives being implemented in cooperation with the Chaipattana Foundation and the private sector.
The Chang Hua Man Royal Project continues to focus on promoting sufficiency economy, renewable energy, and integrated farming practices. It aims to support local communities through self-reliant agriculture, including the cultivation of economic crops and efficient land use.
Her Royal Highness then travelled by royal tram to visit a lime cultivation site operated by the Baan Rai Luang Lime Group. The group uses grafting techniques to grow fruit-bearing trees with high resistance to disease and longer lifespans. The produce is sold at Golden Place outlets.
In addition, trials are being conducted to feed dairy cows with fermented cassava leaves, which have been found to improve immunity and reduce infection risks. Local milk processing centres purchase the raw milk for use in various dairy products that meet international quality standards. One such facility received the FDA Quality Award in 2020 from the Ministry of Public Health.
Environmental conservation efforts are also underway at the site. These include the production of biofertiliser and the promotion of renewable energy. A rice milling machine originally from the Chitralada Royal Project has been installed, and energy is now being generated from biodiesel, solar panels, and wind turbines to help reduce electricity costs.
Products from the project, including those from the Chitralada Royal Project and the Khao Krabok Garden, are available at retail outlets and are positioned as high-quality goods at affordable prices.
The Chang Hua Man Royal Project remains an example of how sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship can be combined to support community development and learning in Phetchaburi.
