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The Bangkok Post January 29 1999 Kwaao khruea to be barred from export Fears foreign experts will try to patent it
Anjira Assavanonda The Department of Agriculture is moving to include kwaao khruea, a Thai herb believed to have a high hormone content, in the list of preserved plants barred from export. The Sub-committee on Protective Plants meeting on Monday agreed that immediate action should be taken to prevent white kwaao khruea (pueraria mirifica) and red kwaao khruea (butea superba) from being taken out of the country. The move followed a petition lodged by Wichai Cherdshewasart, a researcher from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Science, demanding a ministry regulation to declare both preserved plants. The issue, however, has not yet been finalised as it is to seek further approval from the Plant Variety Committee chaired by the agriculture permanent secretary. Paitoon Pisutsin, sub-committee secretary, said it might take at least one month before the committee can come to a decision. If approved, the department's legal experts would draw up a ministry regulation and pass it on for approval of the permanent secretary and minister respectively. Giving details to the sub-committee on Monday, Dr Wichai expressed concern that the local market for the herbs is being cornered by foreigners, particularly researchers who want to take advantage of patenting if their research proves successful. As there is no record of exported kwaao khruea at customs checkpoints, he believes a large quantity of the herbs have been smuggled out of the country. According to Dr Wichai, white kwaao khruea, which is believed to help enlarge breasts, is mostly found in northern and western provinces such as Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Uthai Thani, Tak, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son. Red kwaao khruea, believed to stimulate the male hormone, could be found in western and northeastern provinces such as Kanchanaburi and Si Sa Ket. He said the herbs were mostly smuggled in powder form, and the largest manufacturing source is in Saraburi. Most of them were believed to be smuggled to Japan where demand is high. Dr Pennapa Sapcharoen, director of the Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, insisted kwaao khruea had high medical and economic value, so concerned authorities should take action to protect it. "If nothing is done right now, I believe the herbs will become extinct within five years," she said. In the petition lodged by Chulalongkorn's Science Faculty, a ministry regulation was demanded to prohibit export of all parts of white and red kwaao khruea, including seeds, leaves, flowers, branches, cells and tissue, fresh bulbs, and even dried parts such as powdered kwaao khruea. Dr Wichai said if the living parts of the herbs can be taken out of the country, it will be dangerous because they have high value for all kinds of research and experiment. In addition, he was worried about export of kwaao khruea in powder form because foreign researchers with the help of high technology might use these dried parts to achieve their research goals. If they are successful and apply for their own patents, Thai researchers, agriculturists, and even consumers would be at a disadvantage. However, some members in the sub-committee expressed concern that although kwaao khruea has been declared a preserved plant, the law is still unable to control the export of dried products. Under the amended Plant Act 1992, definition of the preserved plants cover only living parts of the plants, and had nothing to do with the dried items. Some members of the committee said the issue of controlling export of dried or powdered kwaao khruea should be left with the Forestry Department. Comments to: Webmaster |
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