With more than 50 heirloom rice varieties in Loei Province, it is probably not a great surprise that one varietal, Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei or Mueang Loei Red Glutinous Rice, was lost for decades.
It made its return back in 2013, when members of the Sustainable Agricultural Savings Community Enterprise, Baan Si Charoen from Tambon Loei Wang Sai in Loei’s Phu Luang District, visited a trade fair held by the Alternative Agriculture Network in the Northeast at Mahasarakham University.
There, for the first time, they found Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei grains at a booth manned by the Yasothon Rice Genome Preservation and Development Group, which was displaying a variety of indigenous rice varieties.
Photo: Grains of Khao Neaw Siew Gleang
Photo: Grains of Khao Neaw Siew Gleang
Sawaeng Dapa, president of the Sustainable Agricultural Savings Community Enterprise in Baan Si Charoen, was excited to rediscover a varietal they had heard of but never seen.
The group brought a 5-kilogram bag of Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei grains home and tried to grow them in the Baan Si Charoen Natural Agricultural Center.
The following year, the community enterprise joined an indigenous rice contest held by the Indigenous Rice Genome Preservation and Development of Tambon Had, Kut Chum District in Yasothon and were delighted when Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei won first prize for its outstanding properties and the best aroma.
Sawaeng admits there are no written materials, just oral evidence from elders, that show that Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei rice was first cultivated in Baan Lao and Baan Tak Dat in Tambon Nong Ngiew of Wang Sapung district.
Not only does this native rice grow in the lowlands and on the foothill plains, but Baan Si Charoen, a small village in the mountainous area, is now producing Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei seeds, which will help preserve its indigenous grains and expand cultivation areas.
Photo: Khao Neaw Siew Gleang (Siew Gleang glutenous rice)
While the cultivation has been expanded to other areas in Phu Luang District covering a total area of about 100 rai, supply is still insufficient. Characteristically, one ear of Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei rice yields 260-300 seeds, and 800-1,200 kilograms of paddy per rai.
When cooked, it has a soft texture and less sugar than regular sticky rice.
Owat Yinglap, director of the Rice Product Development Department, said that Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei rice is classified as a superfood due to its rich nutrients with essential vitamins and minerals that reduce the risk of diseases including cancer, stroke, heart problems, diabetes, and brain disorders.
Each 100 grams of rice has around 400 mcg of Vitamin-E, a nutrient that's important for vision, reproduction, and the health of the blood, brain and skin.
Thanks to a growing demand for processed rice products, the department is now developing congee made of Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei rice, which is beneficial for patients with diabetes or consumers who want to control their sugar intake.
Designated for bio-tourism
With an abundance of natural resources, tourist attractions, cultural diversity, and local tradition, Baan Si Charoen has been promoted as a bio-tourism community by the Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (Public Organization) or BEDO.
Sawaeng said the community enterprise was founded not only to conserve indigenous rice varieties but also to restore and conserve Phu Luang forest.
The fascinating mountain ranges with rich farmlands that produce a variety of crops give the area unique natural ecotourism appeal. Thanks to BEDO's funding support, the community can benefit from nature capital and biodiversity through various tourism activities.
In addition to the revival of indigenous rice strains, Baan Si Charoen community enterprise is trying to preserve Tui cotton production or Fai Tui, its traditional cotton variety.
The farmers have created a learning center to demonstrate the traditional method of natural cotton growing and weaving without chemicals.
It is an art for which Loei has a reputation. However, like many communities in the Northeast, due to the lengthy and time-consuming process, younger generations have lost interest and the traditional method of cotton weaving is now almost extinct.
The farmers in Baan Si Charoen are aware of the importance of preserving it as a cultural heritage and passing the knowledge on to the next generations.
Fai Tui has light brown fibers and is softer than other varieties. Today, the organic Fai Tui has been developed into a variety of products under its brand "Khun Loei".
A rare sticky rice strain
Khao Neaw Siew Gleang (Siew Gleang glutenous rice) is another indigenous rice variety in Loei. Fortunately, farmers have long recognized the value of khao rai (upland rice) varieties and established the Khao Rai Seeds Production Group (Upland Rice Seeds Production Group) in 2000.
Sangvorn Chankhiri, president of Baan Nam Yen Community Enterprise for Khao Rai Seeds Production in Tambon Kok Sathon, Dan Sai District, said that Dan Sai currently has only 5 khao rai varieties from the previous 37.
Photo: Sangvorn Chankhiri, president of Baan Nam Yen Community Enterprise for Khao Rai Seeds Production in Tambon Kok Sathon, Dan Sai District
In an effort to conserve them, the group was further developed, becoming a rice community center two years later, and a community enterprise in 2005.
Baan Nam Yen Dan Sai now is the largest cultivation area of upland rice varieties, covering over 5,000 rai, with Khao Neaw Siew Gleang the most popular variety.
Sangvorn explained that Siew Gleang means clear shark minnow because the seeds look like this small fish with a slender and clear body.
Because it’s a rare variety, supply is limited to a specific area for cultivation in Dai Sai, Phu Ruea, and Na Haew districts.
The farmers cultivate Khao Neaw Siew Gliang in the plains between the mountains at an altitude of 500-1,000 meters. There is only one crop a year with an average production yield of 500-800 kilograms per rai. Farmers in the northern region, particularly in Lampang, Nan, and Uttaradit provinces, have also shown interest in growing Khao New Siew Gleang.
Both Khao Neaw Daeng Mueang Loei and Khao Neaw Siew Gleang were registered as geographical indication (GI) products last year.
In September 2024, BEDO and the Department of Intellectual Property organized a training course for the Office of Provincial Commercial Affairs of Loei, other state agencies as well as farmers, offering them guidelines for permitting the use of the GI Logo, which will add value to the products.
P้hoto courtesy of Rice Department
