Thai Agriculture Minister Orders Review of Private Basil Plant Variety Patent Application

Key summary

Surayud Juangroongruangkit, Thailand's Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, has ordered the Department of Agriculture to investigate a patent application filed by a private company for four new varieties of basil. The minister affirmed that the ministry will protect farmers' rights and ensure 100% free public access to using the plant. The investigation involves comparing the applicant's data with government research databases to check for similarity with traditional strains. Officials stated that despite supporting new agricultural research, all steps must comply with laws and not negatively impact independent breeders or farmers. Currently, over 300 varieties of local and general basil remain available for planting, propagation, and sale by farmers, while merchants, restaurants, and consumers can continue to trade and use the leaves for cooking without infringing on new plant variety rights. The department is expected to report its findings within one week. The controversy arose after BIOTHAI raised concerns regarding the registration of four new basil varieties named 'Kaeo Juri' by CP Ram, a company in the Charoen Pokphand Group, and their potential link to research conducted at Kasetsart University.