Royal Project's Highland Agricultural Research Stations
The Royal Hill-Tribes Development Programme, at present called The Royal Project, was inaugurated in the year B.E. 2512 (A.D. 1969), following His Majesty the King's expressed desire to initiate the benefits of sedentary agricultural practice to the Hill-Tribes community with introduction of substituted cash crops that, in some cases, may fetch higher market prices than opium. During the early stages of the project, His Majesty encouraged the grafting of temperate climate peach scions to the stocks of local species of peach trees. The grafted trees bore fruits that were improved in texture and taste and were hardy enough to withstand long transportation journey to the markets. Other temperate climate fruit scions were also experimemted with at
different elevations at the Royal Project's Highland Agricultural Research Stations in various villages in Chiang Mai Province, Phui Village, Mae Chaem District, Khum Village, Fang District, Khun Wang Village, San Pa Tong District, Sam Mun Village, Chiang Dao District, and Mae Tho Village, Hot District,
Examples of the various fruits such as apples, Japanese pears, strawberries, and cantaloupes, which have been grown at The Royal Project's Highland Agricultural Research Stationsin order for officials to better advise the Hill-Tribes people on temperate climate fruits cultivation.
LOGO: applesLOGO: Japanese pears
At The Royal Project's various Highland Agricultural Research Stations, besides the cultivation of temperate climate fruits, their are also farmland for experimental cultivation of field crops at high elevations. Furthermore, the cultivation of shiitake mushrooms has proven so successful that it is considered one of the most promising substituted cash crops.
LOGO: Japanese pears
