Department of Industrial Promotion joins Faculty of Technology to intensively train mango orchardists in manufacturing mango products and to pilot production of powdered mango and mango puree after finding out the high market demand for these products. Dr. Ariyaporn repeats: the formula can be used by anyone; the copyright is not restricted.
At 10:30 a.m. on November 4, 2022, at the Food Manufacturing Laboratory Building 4, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University – Dr. Ariyaporn Amnaksoradech, Director of the Department of Industrial and Agricultural Division, Development of Industrial Promotion and Asst. Prof. Araya Chaoruangrit, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Technology, KKU, jointly presided over the opening ceremony of the training in the skills and process of dried powdered mango and mango puree. The training was organized under the Project for Adding Economic Values to Thai Fruits with Technologies and Innovation, Fiscal Year 2022, Department of Industrial and Agricultural Division, Development of Industrial Promotion. Over 60 mango orchardists in Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin, and Nakhon Ratchasima attended as trainees.
Dr. Ariyaporn Amnaksoradech, Director of the Department of Industrial and Agricultural Division, Development of Industrial Promotion said that mango is the kind of fruit mostly grown by orchardists all over the country. Totally, there are around 200,830 households that grow mangoes, with the total plantation areas of 913,788.60 rais, from which 433,474.66 rais account for the total harvest areas. The overall produce is roughly 1 million tons or an average of 2,082 kilograms per rai. During the recent past, the production of mangoes has expanded in each region, with increasing productivity of mangoes. As a result, problems arise to orchardists from low prizes and excess of mangoes flowing into markets. The Department of Industrial Promotion thus sets a policy and implementation plan to increase the competitive capabilities of orchardists by upgrading the mangoes to be under the industrial system, which involves upstream development, i.e., the orchardists who grow mangoes, to the downstream development, i.e., manufacturers and exporters. The implementation plans are expected to strengthen the industrial sector and reduce risks by means of effective management as well as development and solving of the national economic problems. More importantly, the plans will add more alternatives to the orchardists and more values to Thai agricultural productivity at the international level.
“We are at Stage 1, in which the working team of the Department of Industrial Promotion and KKU is organizing the training to the target number of 60 orchardists. From all over the country, there will be around 400 orchardists that will enter the learning process for manufacturing mango products according to the area conditions which are different from region to region. Isan is outstanding in growing the “Nam Dok Mai” and “Kaew Khamin” cultivars. Therefore, the manufactured products are powdered mango and mango puree. The manufacturing is based on technologies and innovation, with emphasis on longer shelf life and use of the products as ingredients in other food products and in drinking businesses. When the target of 400 orchardists have been trained, 15 of them will be selected to enter Stage 2, which is the upgrading towards products in menus of dishes and drinks. The two stages will then fulfill the integration plan of mangoes in full cycle and sustainable gastronomical business for orchardists in each region”.
Dr. Ariyaporn added that the instruction in the training will include formulas for making different products. Trainees are able to experience true practices. All of the formulas will be given to all trainees. The copyright is not restricted. Mangoes are short-life fruits, the manufacturing must be in accordance with the academic and standard processes. At the same time, however, orchardists must be able to manufacture the products by themselves. Fresh mangoes can also be exported. All of these mean sustainability of Thai farmers. It is also important that production of Thai mangoes can be extended towards industrial manufacturing. Moreover, Nam Dok Mai cultivar has good taste, is full of nutritional qualities and biological active substances, including antioxidants, different vitamins, and medicinal properties. Nam Dok Mai mangoes are demanded by the world market. At the end of the training, the specific formula of each locality will be added so that the values of manufactured mangoes will increase.
