The royal seeds that prosper
His Majesty the King’s experiments with sustainable agriculture at his residences have benefited millions
BEFORE THE FIRST RAYS of dawn appear in the skies over Dusit Palace, the team at the Royal Chitralada Dairy Farm is hard at work most days, transporting the fresh milk from the cows to an adjacent plant where it's pasteurised and put into cartons.
It's a routine that's been in place since 1962, when His Majesty the King was presented with several head of cattle. Always interested in agriculture, the King invested his personal funds into establishing a dairy herd of some 40 cows for demonstration purposes.
Today the herd produces between 200 and 300 litres of milk a day, and while some of the milk and milk products are sold to create a revolving fund, much of it is delivered to schools, where it nourishes thousands of children.
Throughout his reign, His Majesty dedicated his efforts to accumulating knowledge, committing personal resources to advance the wellbeing of the people of Thailand.