Bangkok, Thailand
January 20, 2005

Phusadee Arunmas, Bangkok Post via Agnet Jan. 20/05 - II

A Japanese company, Sakata Seed Corporation, has, according to this story, given a Thai firm the rights to exclusively produce and export a new hybrid vegetable called "baby broccoli".

A cross between kale and broccoli, the vegetable will be exported by Siam Future Farm Co, which has been growing baby broccoli for several years using seed provided by the Japanese firm.

The story says that Sakata's experts spent over a decade developing the new hybrid, which features broccoli-shaped blossoms on kale-like stems. The Thai company, appointed as the company's second foreign production base after Australia, has been granted the exclusive rights to produce and export the vegetable in Asia.

Marks & Spencer have been awarded the rights for distribution within the European Union, according to Sutaporn Ramyanandana, director and general manager of Siam Future Farm.