Rice bran wax extracted from bran oil has won a 2012 Rice Innovation Award.
Rice bran car wax won a 2012 Rice Innovation Award for increasing the value of Thai rice. U-Khao U-Nam Co received a prize of 50,000 baht and a trophy from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The award, an annual contest organised by the Thai Rice Foundation (TRF) and the National Innovation Agency (NIA) is aimed at promoting innovations that help increase the value of Thai rice.
The multipurpose wax extracted from rice bran oil and produced by U-Khao U-Nam Co won in the Outstanding Innovation in Industry category.
It is considered a world-class innovation in multipurpose waxing products.
"The product maximises the use of gamma oryzano, which is an important component of rice bran oil, to protect car interiors from ultraviolet rays and extend the life of products, especially interior equipment, leather seat covers and car consoles," said Sumeth Tantivejkul, chairman of the Thai Rice Foundation.
"The innovation can add to the value of organic rice bran oil by 10 times."
Mr Sumeth said rice innovations would partly help to restructure rice production from the basic production process up the value chain to prepare the Thai rice industry to cope with the fierce competition that will arise with the advent of the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
He said after the formation of AEC in 2015, neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and others will look to assert their competitive advantage over Thai rice due to their larger plantations and lower costs.
NIA director Supachai Lorlowhakarn voiced similar concerns, saying the future of Thai rice holds many challenges, especially after the AEC regional integration as many Asean countries will then place a higher priority on exporting their commodities.
He expects Thailand to slip to third place among rice producers this year, behind India and Vietnam, but said this is not as important as improving the country's ability to add value to Thai rice products.
The NIA's policy is to upgrade Thai rice products commercially, he said.
"In the future, Thai rice will no longer be regarded as only a consumer product but rather a value-added good that caters to market demand," he said.
The NIA has provided 30 million baht in each of the past six years to support more than 30 rice innovation projects, generating a combined downstream investment of 287 million baht.
Kwanjai Komes, secretary-general of the TRF, said 39 projects were entered in this year's contest, divided into industrial and community businesses.
Winners of the award receive a trophy from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and prize money of 50,000 baht.
Facial-care cream made from rice bran, custard from rice flour and concrete blocks from husks also received awards.