What to farm

[BBB 3]

We started to plant our land up this year, first has been rubber trees but cannot decide what to put on the rest as we do not want to put all our eggs in one basket and plant it all the same, any suggestions and anyone out there who has land how much of a return can be expected per rai per month off any crops grown.

[joekicker 53]

We started to plant our land up this year, first has been rubber trees but cannot decide what to put on the rest as we do not want to put all our eggs in one basket and plant it all the same, any suggestions and anyone out there who has land how much of a return can be expected per rai per month off any crops grown.

 

Fruit seems to be the most consistently profitable crop. I think it's important not to get into fads, either, such as tangerines at the moment. Just something solidly good, and I'd have two, maybe three types. I'd look really carefully at durian, depending on where you're located, they're always a market bomb. Mongkut (mangosteen) seems a constant seller but with low upkeep, like rambutan.

 

Unless you're up north, I don't think veggies is a good proposition. Even if they grow, it's hard to find good and dependable markets because everyone's used to getting them up north.

 

Where are you?

[Emil 0]

Farming seems almost as risky as owning a bar. Two weeks ago I was buying mangosteen at Carrefour for 10 baht a kilo. At that retail cost what the hell is the farmer getting per kilo? Also it seems that the reliability of getting sufficient water to your crop is a big question. Dry years and not enough rainfall on your crops or not enough water in the resovoir if your lucky to have a system that allows irrigation.

[joekicker 53]

Farming seems almost as risky as owning a bar.

 

Small farms are just a horrible way to make a living. When everything goes against you, you're destitute. In a really good year, you eat well for a while. But it's a bloody satisfying life and healthy.

[HILLY 9]

We have about 5 Rai of free land in Kolat and I am working on growing new potatoes. Have chosen French Ratte that does not mind the heat and has a beautiful taste. Another one is Runner beans that should do well here and you never see them in the shops either.

 

You cant buy new potatoes here at all and I reckon hotels as well as expats will want them. Marketing is another problem to be overcome if it works. One thing for sure is that they will command a high price if they can be marketed properly.

[PattayaPete 527]

We have just planted 20 Rai in Eucalyptus trees.

 

The return at todays prices looks pretty good. One hundred thousand baht to set it up and an expected return of 1 million baht in 5 years.

 

Eucalyptus grow well in Isaan, and handle the lack of water well. Pretty much maintainance free except for the first few months and a bit of trimming and weed control over the 5 years. The main market is for pulp and paper and prices look set to rise.

 

After harvest, the trees regenerate by themselves so the second and third 5 years are pretty much cost free.

 

Our reason for doing this is that we only get to Isaan a few times each year and the land was basically going to waste. With the trees we are not tied to constant visits to maintain things and our only ongoing expense is the woman who checks things out once a month or so and also cleans the house. Total expense there is 1,000 baht a month.

[Gary 4,096]

We have about 5 Rai of free land in Kolat and I am working on growing new potatoes. Have chosen French Ratte that does not mind the heat and has a beautiful taste. Another one is Runner beans that should do well here and you never see them in the shops either.

 

You cant buy new potatoes here at all and I reckon hotels as well as expats will want them. Marketing is another problem to be overcome if it works. One thing for sure is that they will command a high price if they can be marketed properly.

 

 

Hilly, where did you find the seed potatoes? I have some nice sandy ground that appears to be perfect for potatoes.

[Emil 0]

We have just planted 20 Rai in Eucalyptus trees.

 

The return at todays prices looks pretty good. One hundred thousand baht to set it up and an expected return of 1 million baht in 5 years.

 

Eucalyptus grow well in Isaan, and handle the lack of water well. Pretty much maintainance free except for the first few months and a bit of trimming and weed control over the 5 years. The main market is for pulp and paper and prices look set to rise.

 

After harvest, the trees regenerate by themselves so the second and third 5 years are pretty much cost free.

 

Our reason for doing this is that we only get to Isaan a few times each year and the land was basically going to waste. With the trees we are not tied to constant visits to maintain things and our only ongoing expense is the woman who checks things out once a month or so and also cleans the house. Total expense there is 1,000 baht a month.

 

Pete,

 

That sounds like a good deal but why haven't more of those poor Issan farmers done the same?

[SOLOTREKKER 0]

I grew up on my grandfathers farm in Scotland, 550 acres mixed agriculture and Dairy, 35 milk cows, a few pigs. Bloody hard work, I couldn't wait to get away, left when I was 16.

 

Trust me when I say that it never goes to plan on a small farm, while we were never hungry and life was ''Sort of'' Ok, There was always something going wrong, just when it seemed to going right.

 

A small farm will need 24hr maintenance, and you cant just leave it to work its self out. fruit growers have a CONSTANT battle with pests as do potato growers, and you cant just keep putting spuds in year in year out in the same spot unless you use modern fertilizers and chemical pest control. I believe Thailand is lucky in that you get 2 crops a year, maybe even 3, but unless you fertilize after each crop, you will quickly exhaust the soil, even then you will still have 'rotate' your fields and crops to keep the soil and supply healthy, that is if you want to make money from it.

 

My Grandfather spent 60 years of his life battling to make it work, and all he managed was to 'Just get by'. The only Farms that make good money are really big ones, 1000 acres plus and even they require a huge amount of commitment.

 

But its a life time commitment, a daily struggle, and bloody long long sweaty worrying hours.

 

If all you want is a 'Hobby' farm then it might work, but your not going to make any money from it, where ever you are.

 

Marketing is a nightmare if you dont use a middleman, and doing any marketing yourself will only increase your, already heavy burden.

 

Farming!!, No not for me, I remember !!!!!!!. No No No !.

[short 215]

Maybe one of you guys could grow some decent tomatoes. The tomatoes Iv'e had in Thailand so far have been crap.

[soi6 0]

Plantains grow like crazy in the carribean, similar climate to SEA.. They are an alternative staple to bread/rice etc, and require little maintainance to grow... I don't know if I ever saw a plantain in a SEA market, which suprised me. could grow alternate crops beneath them or use as grazing land.

 

Lemons, always seemed hard to find... Lime are hard also, there's those little lime like small green things, but not a lime.

 

Turkey's especially around the western holiday times...

 

Turtles, grow a local variety that people eat..

 

Snakes...ditto...not much space needed for these..where to get the mice to feed them though...

 

In high mountains, Chiang Rai area possibly grow cold weather crops... apples-pears-strawberries..

 

Cranberries..could likely be grown in the same fields as rice.. Never saw them there, but they are useful in cooking and the health benefits would appeal to Asia.

 

Goat farm.. live on practically anything... goat cheese and milk... Sell to the muslim population which doesn't eat pork.

 

Balute? Thai's will eat anything, this is a delicacy that came from China...Has anyone tried to sell these in Thailand?

 

 

Do your research! My Grandfather had a farm (220 acres) in pacific NW, he only made money off of it when he leased it out to others and turned some of his fields to grow hay and grain for resale.. small farms are difficult and should be a hobby not a dependency.

[joekicker 53]

That sounds like a good deal but why haven't more of those poor Issan farmers done the same?

 

This is actually a fascinating story, which boiled down is "because leftist tree-huggers convinced them not to" about, oh, 15 or 20 years ago when there was talk of putting in massive gum plantations. Farmers were either convinced or intimidated into accepting that gum trees sucked all life out of the soil and would kill Thailand as a viable nation.

 

It's not a bad illustration of use of environmental issues as a political tool that in the end had absolutely nothing to do with facts, environment or what was good for the farmers.

[joekicker 53]

Maybe one of you guys could grow some decent tomatoes. The tomatoes Iv'e had in Thailand so far have been crap.

 

Actually there are decent tomatoes. The problem, as always, is trying to get them to market, and then for shoppers to find where they are. This is one of the really, REALLY big problems for small-unit farmers in Thailand who have something valuable -- getting it to market.

[joekicker 53]

Plantains grow like crazy in the carribean, similar climate to SEA.. They are an alternative staple to bread/rice etc, and require little maintainance to grow... I don't know if I ever saw a plantain in a SEA market, which suprised me. could grow alternate crops beneath them or use as grazing land.

 

An alternative for whom? Rice isn't a staple food in Thailand, it's part of the culture and tradition. On this particular subject, you need a lot more research. Plantain in Thailand sells like shark's fin at a Greenpeace convention, and for some of the same reasons. Next you'll be recommending sago and poi?

 

Lemons, always seemed hard to find... Lime are hard also, there's those little lime like small green things, but not a lime.

 

Lemons, limes are sort of like rice. The fruit the Thais call manao is well accepted and entrenched in the market. Manao are an integral part of Thai food, and lemons (for sure) and even limes are not acceptable substitutes -- for the simple reason they cost three or 10 times as much and manao are PREFERRED to them.

 

The market is very, very limited. There is already no shortage of lemons in Thailand, but almost no one wants to buy them, so they are hard to find on the market. I don't believe a farmer could sell 10 limes in a year, not at the price it costs to farm them.

 

There are more turkeys than can be sold or exported right now, although the turkey-ham, turkey-bacon etc markets aren't exploited. Nothing a farmer can do about that. You will NOT sell turtles here, because greenies and history combine against them.

 

Snakes are consumed here, but there is zero market for farmed snakes plus you'd have tree-huggers up in great arms.

 

Thailand sells huge numbers of pears and strawberries, and exports them to the world in huger numbers. Cheap, imported Chinese pears are currently destroying the Thai farms.

 

Apples have not done well here, so far. They don't grow well, and consumers are lobotomised to accept imports.

 

Thais don't like cranberries, and farmers can't sell them in Thailand. Farmers can't start an export market, even if one may exist.

 

There is WAY more goat here than can be consumed. Again, there is room for a goat-meat export market, but there's nothing a farmer can do about that.

 

Balute? Thai's will eat anything, this is a delicacy that came from China...Has anyone tried to sell these in Thailand?

 

No sir, Thais will NOT eat anything, and one of the many, MANY things they won't eat, near the top of the list, is balut. There is a Buddhist/cultural problem with eating foetuses for starters. You don't know what you're talking about here.

 

But to answer your question, Yes -- there is no problem buying balut in Thailand. There is a small market, well filled.

 

Do your research!

 

Heh. Good one.

 

But what you say about small farms is absolute truth. A small-farmer cannot influence markets. He has enough trouble merely trying to identify them and reach them with his crops.

[Gary 4,096]

We have just planted 20 Rai in Eucalyptus trees.

 

The return at todays prices looks pretty good. One hundred thousand baht to set it up and an expected return of 1 million baht in 5 years.

 

Eucalyptus grow well in Isaan, and handle the lack of water well. Pretty much maintainance free except for the first few months and a bit of trimming and weed control over the 5 years. The main market is for pulp and paper and prices look set to rise.

 

After harvest, the trees regenerate by themselves so the second and third 5 years are pretty much cost free.

 

Our reason for doing this is that we only get to Isaan a few times each year and the land was basically going to waste. With the trees we are not tied to constant visits to maintain things and our only ongoing expense is the woman who checks things out once a month or so and also cleans the house. Total expense there is 1,000 baht a month.

 

 

A lot of farmers up here plant Eucalyptus trees. The selling price this year was 800 baht per ton and the first harvest takes five years minimum. It takes a lot of those skinny trees to make a ton. You may get three harvests over fifteen years and then you have to contend with the stumps. The land is nearly useless without the stumps removed and that is an expensive proposition. They root deep. It is a relatively cheap crop to plant with the seedlings costing only one baht each. You MUST keep the weeds down or the trees will be lost or severely stunted. Crops planted between the trees do poorly so there may be something factual about Eucalyptus being hard on the soil. I think Pete is VERY optimistic.

 

As a side note, The Queen is working on the government so the farmers can plant hemp. Hemp makes good paper and could easily replace Eucalyptus.

[crobe 12]

We have just planted 20 Rai in Eucalyptus trees.

 

If I were you then, I would import some Koala bears from Australia.

 

The tourist atraction of a koala farm would bring in more money than the plants

Just a wierd idea....

 

Hold on, I have 11 Rai myself just up from the crocodile farm - stop that housebuilding now....

 

Crobe

[nidnoyham 30]

Hemp must be a good versatile crop. It has so many uses, from clothing to car parts. The problem being it would need to be grown on a large scale to be profitable. Then there has to be a distribution service to factories.

 

I don't know how they would license and monitor it in LOS, it is very carefully policed here in the U.K- for obvious reasons.

 

The main argument in it's favour, is that for paper making etc, you can get several crops grown in the time it takes to grow a tree, for the same use.

[HILLY 9]

Hilly, where did you find the seed potatoes? I have some nice sandy ground that appears to be perfect for potatoes.

I will have it imported with a certificate in January next year and then with some cold storage I can use the perfect tubers from past crops for a couple of seasons after that. It might not work and during wet months the growing method has to be changed to non ridged rows or they will likely rot off. Blight is another problem here but the chemicals are available to stave it off. Unfortunately organic growing here just ain't on and chemicals will be needed to raise a crop that might otherwise get eaten in the ground. Rotation is an absolute must as well so lets get the first crop grown successfully to see if it can be grown and sold.

 

Why not give a local variety a try first. Buy some spuds from the supermarket and see if they will grow which would be a good start. Get them with shoots for a quick sowing and spray the leaves with a Permetherin based insecticide before ridging them up three times. Give another row a non ridged try and just keep the leaves green and pest free.As soon as they are well in flower start to lift some.

 

Dont expect big crops from supermarket bought spuds but if it works you should get around half to one kilo from one seed potatoe. Try divinding the potatoe in two also to see if it hold in the ground or is eaten.Space at about 30 inches and let us know how it goes please with some pictures would be nice.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Plantains grow like crazy in the carribean, similar climate to SEA.. They are an alternative staple to bread/rice etc, and require little maintainance to grow... I don't know if I ever saw a plantain in a SEA market, which suprised me. could grow alternate crops beneath them or use as grazing land.

 

Mrs Bullfrog loved the plantain in West Africa and it was a "must do" everytime we jumped in the car to stop off and buy some to munch in the car...

 

 

Now then...I am not quite sure if I want to admit this on a public forum...... but when we finally moved back I went to unpack the suitcases when she hustled me out ....I didn't think much of it untill the next day I saw 3 plantain tree stumps lined up being watered!!!! I lectured her on Eco Systems, microscopic diseases and importing without a certificate but of course it just fell on deaf ears....

[pfotoguy 3]

what about flowers? Everyday I see them stringing them together for buddhist lays

[BBB 3]

Fruit seems to be the most consistently profitable crop. I think it's important not to get into fads, either, such as tangerines at the moment. Just something solidly good, and I'd have two, maybe three types. I'd look really carefully at durian, depending on where you're located, they're always a market bomb. Mongkut (mangosteen) seems a constant seller but with low upkeep, like rambutan.

 

Unless you're up north, I don't think veggies is a good proposition. Even if they grow, it's hard to find good and dependable markets because everyone's used to getting them up north.

 

Where are you?

 

The farms 60km north of Kanchanaburi, i think some kind of fruit tree was what i had in mind we have 50 rai to plant next year so was hoping that after the initial cost and work putting them in something that takes a minimum of looking after. Mangosteen or Rambutan sound good.

 

Potatoes i think would need a lot of looking after and finding people to work the land has been difficult.

[Gary 4,096]

I will have it imported with a certificate in January next year and then with some cold storage I can use the perfect tubers from past crops for a couple of seasons after that. It might not work and during wet months the growing method has to be changed to non ridged rows or they will likely rot off. Blight is another problem here but the chemicals are available to stave it off. Unfortunately organic growing here just ain't on and chemicals will be needed to raise a crop that might otherwise get eaten in the ground. Rotation is an absolute must as well so lets get the first crop grown successfully to see if it can be grown and sold.

 

Why not give a local variety a try first. Buy some spuds from the supermarket and see if they will grow which would be a good start. Get them with shoots for a quick sowing and spray the leaves with a Permetherin based insecticide before ridging them up three times. Give another row a non ridged try and just keep the leaves green and pest free.As soon as they are well in flower start to lift some.

 

Dont expect big crops from supermarket bought spuds but if it works you should get around half to one kilo from one seed potatoe. Try divinding the potatoe in two also to see if it hold in the ground or is eaten.Space at about 30 inches and let us know how it goes please with some pictures would be nice.

 

Potatoes actually do pretty well up here. They do grow them year round but have a problem with them rotting in the ground if it is too warm and there is too much rain. That's why they are normally ridged. If they are planted during early October, the crop is usually better. November and December are VERY dry months and it can get pretty cold too. By cold I mean that I can see my breath in the morning and that's damn COLD for me. We just bought the second small farm a couple of months ago and that's the one that has the light sandy soil. I'd guess that about 4 rai out of the ten would be suitable for potatoes. They recommend growing one crop then no more potatoes for four years. The wife has peanuts, corn and soybeans planted now. The next step is to find a ridge plow for my tractor.

[BBB 3]

Gary sounds like you have everything sorted, hope i'm in the same situation in 4/5 years time, getting there slowly but enjoying it, there lots of things we need tractor included, had to borrow everything of the wifes sister, maybe next year.

[Gary 4,096]

Gary sounds like you have everything sorted, hope i'm in the same situation in 4/5 years time, getting there slowly but enjoying it, there lots of things we need tractor included, had to borrow everything of the wifes sister, maybe next year.

 

Believe me, it's only a hobby and if I HAD to make any money at it, I'd be in serious trouble. My wife thinks I'm crazy because of the tractor. I always wanted one of those little four wheel drive diesel tractors. I never could justify spending a half million baht for a hobby toy and still can't but I wanted it. I enjoy playing with it so that's what's important. I have a dozer blade, plow and a rotary tiller already. Now I'm looking for a ridge plow and the next project is to build some steel flotation wheels so it can be used in the rice paddies. Even with the four wheel drive it is still too heavy to run in the muddy water covered paddies. It appears that they have never heard of dual tractor wheels here but eventually I will show them that a tractor CAN be used in the rice paddies. (I hope). If I didn't enjoy it I certainly wouldn't do it.

[soi6 0]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sou.../299850/1/.html

 

By Channel NewsAsia's IndoChina Correspondent Anasuya Sanyal | Posted: 14 September 2007 1819 hrs

 

Organic farming takes root in Thailand

 

 

BANGKOK : Small farmers in Thailand are learning that growing organic produce can reap better returns.

 

Clusters of organically-grown langsats beckon at one farm, and farmer Sunthorn Rachawat readily shares his secret behind them.

 

Fifty kilogrammes of fish bones are left to ferment in blue barrels - creating a natural growth hormone that is applied to young tree shoots.

 

Compost is also spread around the base of trees while plants that naturally repel pests grow liberally nearby.

 

And Sunthorn has another home-made concoction.

 

He said, "A very stubborn friend of mine didn't believe me at first about my organic pesticide, but later he bought two boilers to make it himself after I gave him 1,000 litres to spray on his mangoes."

 

Sunthorn and his produce are living proof that organic farming can be viable but there is one thing he still cannot change.

 

One of the obstacles facing organic produce is that it does look a bit different and not as attractive sometimes as traditionally grown fruits and vegetables.

 

The traditionally-grown mangosteen has very smooth exterior, very even colour and is actually a little bit bigger in size while its organic counterpart does not have quite such a cosmetically nice texture or colour.

 

But organic farmers said that the difference is in the taste.

 

Most of Thailand's organic produce is still grown for the domestic market, except rice, half of which is exported.

 

Latest figures show that between 2002 and 2005, the kingdom's organic market almost tripled in value to US$28 million, due to rising affluence and health awareness.

 

With over 21,000 hectares of land now devoted to organic farming, the country's only internationally-accredited organic body is teaching farmers how to optimise the use of their land.

 

Nartrudee Nakornvacha, General Manager, Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand, said, "Most of farmers who start working on organic farms in Thailand are small farmers, so they have to make decisions - can they divide some part of their land to be organic or can they utilise their whole farms?"

 

Besides being environmentally friendly, moving away from costly fertilisers made by large companies also helps farmers break out of the poverty cycle.

 

Some are have started exporting to Singapore and Japan - the Kingdom's main export markets in Asia.

 

With so much potential, Thai agricultural authorities are looking further afield to European countries despite their high food safety standards and regulations. - CNA/ms