The Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization) has provided funding for a project to develop a prototype for industrial-scale Napier grass pellet production for animal feed. The main agency receiving funding is Bless Grass Co., Ltd., with the Department of Livestock Development, the Department of Agriculture, the Faculty of Agriculture, and Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute, as co-researchers.
The research project cultivated 2 Napier grass varieties, King Grass and Pak Chong 1, in plots owned by Bless Grass Co., Ltd. in Lao Khwan District, Kanchanaburi Province, Nong Ya Sai District, and Dan Chang District, Suphan Buri Province. The project began in August 2024 and continues to the present.
Due to the current rising cost of animal feed ingredients in line with increased animal husbandry and price fluctuations from global trade, many farmers are relying on local sources of roughage. Napier grass pellets are in high demand in the animal husbandry market, but current production capacity is still insufficient to meet demand.
Bless Grass Co., Ltd. has therefore requested research funding to develop a high-quality, industrial-grade Napier grass pellet machine with a production capacity of 1.5-2 tons per hour, which requires approximately 70-90 tons of fresh Napier grass per day. This project promotes the cultivation of Napier grass (King Grass variety) in Lao Khwan District, Kanchanaburi Province, Nong Ya Sai District, and Dan Chang District, Suphan Buri Province, to meet future production demand at no cost to participating farmers.
In the project, Napier grass was planted according to academic principles and the Good Agricultural Practices for Forage Crops standard. This was divided into 9,600 square meters of propagation plots for the seedlings and 64,000 square meters of plots for the production of raw materials for grass pellets. In addition, Napier grass planting was promoted in the areas of 4 local farmers, covering a total area of 280,000 square meters, and the planting area was expanded to within 50 kilometers from the factory.
The project aims to improve the livelihoods of local farmers, promote efficient agricultural land use, strive to achieve a balance between land resource management, conservation and rehabilitation of drylands, supporting sustainable careers, promoting the formation of groups to produce raw materials for Napier grass pellet factory, and also increasing employment for local people interested in working with the company, which is in line with the goal of eliminating poverty in communities at the local and national levels.
