Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology - Asian Productivity ...

Business Potential for Agricultural Biotechnology Products
University Affairs, the Thailand Research Fund, the National Research Council, and the
National Science and Technology Development Agency. Science and technology investment
(R&D) was approximately 0.52% of GDP in 2004. National agricultural research systems
(NARSs) can be divided into three types according to market size for agricultural biotechnology
products, level of research, breeding programs, participation of the private sector, and any regulatory
framework for biosafety and intellectual property rights (IPR) (Byerlee and Fischer, 2001).
Using these criteria, the Thailand NARS is considered a type II with considerable capacity in
applied plant breeding and biotechnology research as well as the capacity to acquire and apply
molecular tools developed elsewhere. Thailand also has an existing regulatory framework for
agricultural biotechnology and IPR law. Thailand’s agricultural biotechnology research is
focused on curing diseases and dealing with insect infestation and environmental stress using
genetic modification, DNA markers, breeding, and biocontrol. Local crop varieties such as
papaya, tomato, and pineapple have been genetically engineered with gene/DNA from local
strains of pathogens or other genes with desired characteristics in order to produced crops with
disease resistance or herbicide resistance. Other research programs include determination of
molecular markers in rice, tomato, cucumbers, and orchids, development of insect-, drought-,
and disease-resistant rice within one variety via pyramiding of the necessary genes, and production
of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against plant viruses. Recently, some of this
technology has been in demand in the private sector, particularly molecular markers and disease
diagnosis. In animal-related biotechnology, there are programs for the development of disease
diagnostic products and animal production techniques. Although technologies such as embryo
transfer, in vitro fertilization, and embryo sexing are known to some scientists, there are still
technological and economical limitations to their use. Recently, Thailand has become a new
market for bull semen with high import value. This procedure is seen as an inexpensive way to
improve the genetics of domestic cattle.
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY BUSINESS IN THAILAND
The agrobiotechnology business in Thailand is still in an initial phase. It is divided into
three main areas: disease diagnosis, biocontrol. And tissue culture.
Disease Diagnosis
Thailand has a special interest in supporting local discovery and innovation in both agricultural
and health-related areas. Diagnostic kits have been developed for several important plant
and animal diseases. From late 2003 on, bird flu was reported in a number of Asian countries,
including Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand. The disease initially infected only
chickens, ducks, and wild birds. Later, there were reports of human deaths in many countries, including
Thailand. With this urgency, the avian influenza virus test kit was developed in 2004
with the cooperation of the National Science and Technology Agency and INNOVA Biotechnology.
It has been widely used in both the public and the private sectors.
In the agroindustry, chilled and frozen shrimp was among the top ten export products of
Thailand (Tables 2 and 3). The Shrimp Biotechnology Business Unit (SBBU) was established in
1999 under the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) to assist
the shrimp industry. SBBU conducts its own research and contracts research, training, and consulting
as well as commercializing diagnostic kits (EZEE Gene) for important viral diseases in
shrimp, including White Spot Syndrome Virus, Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis
Virus, Monodon Baculovirus, Taura Syndrome Virus, and Yellow Head Virus/Gill Associated
Virus. Most of the test kits are stripped kits, simple and portable. Others are PCR-based.
The income is returned to the investor, BIOTEC, and royalties go to inventor, Mahidol University.
Recently the technology was transferred to a private company, Farming IntelliGene Technology
Corp. For plant diseases, monoclonal antibodies for detection of Tomato Yellow Leaf
– 184 –