The country's sole producer of organic sugar is trying to convince Thais that organic products need not be expensive.
Organic sugar is central to one of Wangkanai’s CSR campaigns, with staff helping to take care of elephants at an Ayutthaya elephant camp and feeding them organic sugar cane every March.
Tanyaruk Na Wangkanai, the Wangkanai Group's public relations director, said 500 grammes of organic sugar costs 60 baht compared with the fixed price of 23.50 baht for a kilogramme of white sugar.
"If the whole world adjusts its mindset and realises that organic sugar is not essentially expensive, then we could even sell ours at 30 baht [per 500g pack]," she said.
Ms Tanyaruk said growing organic sugar cane is hard, as the use of chemicals is ruled out for three consecutive years. Many firms have given up growing it.
"But in the next two years, there will be other brands out there in the market, and we welcome the competition because consumers will be the ones to benefit," she said.
Wangkanai targets organic sugar will amount to 10% of its total production in the next two years or 70,000 tonnes, up from 40,000 tonnes now.
The group operates four sugar mills in the Northeast and Central Plains with combined annual capacity of 7 million tonnes of sugar cane.
Organic sugar is also central to one of Wangkanai's corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns, with staff helping to take care of elephants at an Ayutthaya elephant camp and feeding them organic sugar cane every March.
Transporting food for the elephants costs 30,000 baht a day, with pineapples also being brought from Rayong, Chon Buri and Chanthaburi.
"The camp does not have enough money for the food. It earns less than 10,000 baht a day from elephant shows," said Ms Tanyaruk.
Wangkanai has allotted 11 rai of organic sugar cane for the elephants and plans to expand the area.
Its other CSR activities include anti-smoking campaigns, Children's Day events, book and blood donations and even changing light bulbs in temples.
"Wangkanai's CSR activities are focused on money and labour, and all our employees are willing to engage in the events," said Ms Tanyaruk.
From now on, Wangkanai will welcome people from outside the company to join its CSR activities, especially the blood donations conducted every December.
"We encourage our people to think of others. We are all basically generous but have little opportunity to express our kindness," said Ms Tanyaruk.
While other sugar-cane planters and millers have pushed for floating sugar prices, Ms Tanyaruk said Thailand is unlikely to see that step soon.
"Who is going to gain from floating the price? No. Do you think Thais will accept it? Even the government won't," she said, adding that the sugar price in Thailand is among the cheapest in the world.
