Almost all of the country's agricultural produce was hit during the economic recession that gripped Thailand in 1997; sweet potatoes were no exception. This traditional, economic plant in Baan Bu Klang, Tambon Bu Puay in the district of Nam Yun of Ubon Ratchathani province, once brought the villagers enough income to sustain their families. The economic crisis saw the price of a bag of sweet potatoes plummet to a mere five Baht from 20 to 30 Baht (US$ 1 = +/- 34 Baht). In essence, the market was almost wiped out. As a result, post-sale stocks of sweet potatoes accumulated by the day.
Under the circumstances, Khun Vilaiwan Thani, the village head of Moo 10, organized a village forum to identify the causes and devise solutions to the problem facing them. The meeting served to inspire the wives of the village to found their own processed produce business with funding from the Community Development Department and Tambon Bu Puay Administration Organization.
Thanks to her determination to help her people to enjoy the kind of income they previously enjoyed, Khun Vilaiwan made use of her training in homemaking and turned the agricultural produce around her as the main component to the benefit of the group - and sweet potato chips are their first product. Today, more than 20 members of the group have made the chips their main food, as well as supplementary occupation, coming together to make the sweet potato chips available for sale. The reputation of the product has spread gradually to Ubon Ratchathani and other provinces throughout the country.
The process for making sweet potato chips is far from complicated. Firstly, they are thoroughly peeled and rinsed before being sliced into small pieces for steaming purposes. The sweet potato pieces are then spread over a steamer on top of a charcoal stove, steamed until cooked, and removed from the stove.
The next stage is to mash the sweet potatoes with a little salt, and add sugar, flour, garlic and black pepper. In the process, drops of boiled water are added and the doughy mixture kneaded thoroughly before being shaped into appropriate sizes and steam again until cooked. The dough is chilled in the fridge for two nights before being sliced into thin rings and dried in the sun, briefly, to prevent them from breaking. By this time, the sweet potato slices can be packaged for sale.
In addition to sweet potatoes, the group continues to invent new products with other agricultural produce such as jackfruit, pumpkins, and bananas, among others. Other products include fresh vegetable and fruit juice, dishwasher and laundry solutions. These later products are developed from locally available raw materials as the main ingredients.
Today, the villagers of Baan Bu Klang are enjoying a better standard of living with satisfactory average monthly incomes. What is important is that the occupational group for processed agricultural produce also serves as the community knowledge center for regular inquirers who take an interest in the local processed product.
