Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, has addressed public concerns regarding the patenting of four holy basil varieties. The clarification follows reports from the non-profit group BIOTHAI, which noted that the food manufacturer CPRAM obtained plant variety protection for specific Kaphrao strains, including Kaew Juree 01 through 04. These protections, granted under the Plant Variety Protection Act, are valid for a 12-year period ending in 2036. The minister emphasized that these legal rights, which allow CPRAM to utilize these specific developed strains for their industrial production needs, do not restrict individual citizens from cultivating or consuming holy basil at home. The company reportedly developed these particular varieties to ensure consistent aromatic and flavor profiles for their commercial food manufacturing operations.
Source : The Thaiger
Photo : The Thaiger
