Canada

Sorry i don't believe those profit margins with so little land and so little work. If the financial rewards the OP claims were possible every Thai would be doing it. Remember if it sounds to good to be true it probably is.

I would agree with this. That's what Thai farmers do. Plant whatever is earning well and drive the price into the dirt. Watch what happens in a few years when all the new rubber plantations start producing. In our area there are not many people farming rice anymore and those that are are mostly farming for food, not for money. Cane is rapidly replacing rice. The queue at the mills is days long and the price last year was lower than the previous, and this year they are already offering the same low price (farm gate) as they were last year. Even lower if you want some money up front. So, if there is money in pineapple, rest assured that there won't be for long.

I have no beef with RBH over this thread. It may be fact based or it may be fantasy based. I don't really care. Only a fool would run out half cocked and start to invest based on a report like this without doing his own research.

My beef with RBH seems to be mostly personality based. Jotham says RBH has lots of social currency for all the wonderful things he has done for others. And I interpret that to mean that RBH can act however he wants in some places because of the good he spreads in other places, and in the places where he is nice, his behaviour in other places is excused. Hmmm.....I don't work like that. I do my best to be good to all and I assess other people on their dealings with all, not just with myself (that would rather self-serving) But if that's what works for you, then well...whatever.

I'm just a farmer with a farm that produces, but I wish it produced more. I'm not sure which direction I'll move in yet but it is unlikely that it'll be fish or pineapple.

Don't insult me with a "recap" of what happened. I can read, and I know what happened.

I told you several times that i have no running water anywhere near me. In fact, the nearest running water is 20 kms from my home.I emphasised that all I had was well water and wanted a straight, simple answer to the feasibility of working with only that. You finally did give me the answer, which was "no, it will not work", which then leads to end of thinking about that project. No need to further dig for more information bout suppliers, wholesale buyers, market research, feed, transportation, etc....waste of frickin time to do all that on something that may not even be physically possible.

As far as getting off on the wrong foot. Not me man. You. And no, we don't need to start again. Don't insult me further with alcohol based excuses and lame apologies.

Enjoy your whiskey. You must be a real treat to be around in person.

Looking at some of the "likes" that you people give out is funny.

I have noticed that people generally worship the person who has money, can make money, and openly flaunts that. I see it all over the place. I've seen people who I thought were reasonably intelligent people fall over themselves trying to kiss the ass of someone who has money. Having money seems to excuse the most bizarre behaviour and people generally applaud whatever the person who appears to have money does. The more bizarre, the more applause. Just plain weird if you ask me.

In another thread, RBH was out and out rude and condescending to me. I've done nothing to provoke that. He then goes on to insult me and then starts this thread with a sarcastic reference to me (taken in context of having just had a go at each other in the other thread.) And some of you guys applaud this behaviour?? He then makes an insincere apology, and again blames his behaviour on Lao Khao, in the other thread which gets yet more likes....

Yup. You gotta wonder what is up with the farming forum

Where I come from, we call things what they are. Shit is shit. Period. Farmers should understand this.

That'll be my last contribution to this.

Unbridled arrogance. Advice given hand in hand with contempt of others.

RBH. What you call big money is a joke. We are talking BAHT...not dollars. I couldn't get by on what you call big money.

I have never met anyone as openly arrogant as you. I would walk ten miles to buy something before I would borrow it from a neighbour like you.

You don't give advice to help people, you give it to "pump yourself up". Save it man. As one member said already, nauseating.

Actually you missed the point. But you prove mine. Call me dumb to my face. Hiding behind a keyboard with your bottle of whiskey....

All this while you are only assuming base on maths regarding the output of your well and submersible pump. There's no a good way to start a commercial farming business. Have you done your homework asking your wife,relatives...checking the market around your area/tambon/province and nearby provinces ? Who are the bulk buyer doing the deliveries/wholesalers/associations/Clarias catfish farm owners within you immediate/nearby vicinities ?

Money can be made and i am making them but there's a lot of things involve in regards to understanding the geographical advantage and what produce to do to optimize output for you gain. A lot of this are involve in the operations, production, weather pattern, market share of the region...so on and so on...

I always say to friends/villagers/neighbours..."Mer khrai mer man" (northern thai language Kum Muang) meaning " to each his own profession". You have 10 rai, i too have 10 rai...but the produce output are not the same. You farm paddy and i farm fishes, same 10 rai but i made 10x more than you. But my capital investment are in the million figures and yours are less than a 100k and you have credits, plant first and pay later...mine are upfront...cash. You can't do fishes like i do and i can't do paddy like you...

Stick to what you know best...sugarcane plantation.

After you got all the facts for doing Clarias in your area, study them to see if it is really feasible...

I will gladly discuss and guide you on how well you should go about farming and selling them.

Cheers...

Well that's fine RBH. But I think you've misunderstood.

My first line of questioning is "is it even possible to farm fish on a large scale relying on well water. If that is a negative, which it sounds like it is, no need for further investigation. Full stop. I may not be the smartest guy around, but I'm not an idiot either. No need to write a condescending post like this. Thanks.

As far as sugarcane goes.....hmmm.....knowing what i know now, I wouldn't advise anyone to go into it without some serious cash to invest. We have 100 rai and it's not enough to live off of. Not just off of farming cane. So we are looking at other options/ideas for what to do with our land that would be more productive.

Canada, I'm sorry if the post sound condescending...It's not my fault, i blame it on the bottle of Lao Khao.

Please read it again and this time in a softer tone and slower pace... Just kind of imagine i am talking to you face to face with hands movement and asking you in an enquiry manner with my hand holding onto my chin.

My sets of questioning are to help me to do a assessment of your vicinities... I was waiting for you to check it out and get back to me. Why ? Because when you hit an obstacle like this "no stream no river or no to an equivalent water source support", it doesn't mean it will not work. My solution to this type of hurdle would be to do rental ponds...Which i did, not because i am short of water supply but i am short of land to further my expansion plan.

I only meant to help you find a solution, not to criticize or try belittling you.

Let me know what you find out and we shall see how best to tackle it.

best regards.

Actually RBH this is bullshit for an excuse for your arrogance. I've read through this thread and I think you're full of yourself, not Lao Khao. Big deal, you made some money growing fish.

.You've been pretty clear in a couple of your answers, totally off the mark in most of them if you read my questions accurately. You have so far told me:

"Too risky if you do not have a stream of river nearby... too risky relying on underground water + cost factor."

"I mentioned well are not reliable become you can't see how much water is beneath it...can you ? A water reserve pond allow you to gauge how much water you have because you can see the water level. "

"During an event of emergency and suddenly your precious and expensive submersible pump fail you, that would be trouble... and without water replacement, your stock mortality rate just climb and climb."

"All this while you are only assuming base on maths regarding the output of your well and submersible pump. There's no a good way to start a commercial farming business. Have you done your homework asking your wife,relatives..."

"Stick to what you know best...sugarcane plantation."

And now you say "Because when you hit an obstacle like this "no stream no river or no to an equivalent water source support", it doesn't mean it will not work." Which is in direct contradiction to your previous answers and your tone. It also answers my very first question in my first post very clearly, but opposite of what you have said from then till now.

If you're going to apologise, then apologise, not give stupid excuses for your behaviour. I don't play games with people and I don't take well to people who do.

Have a great night with your whiskey.

Nice. Retains colour when dried?? Really. Must make beautiful furniture. Where are you located?

All this while you are only assuming base on maths regarding the output of your well and submersible pump. There's no a good way to start a commercial farming business. Have you done your homework asking your wife,relatives...checking the market around your area/tambon/province and nearby provinces ? Who are the bulk buyer doing the deliveries/wholesalers/associations/Clarias catfish farm owners within you immediate/nearby vicinities ?

Money can be made and i am making them but there's a lot of things involve in regards to understanding the geographical advantage and what produce to do to optimize output for you gain. A lot of this are involve in the operations, production, weather pattern, market share of the region...so on and so on...

I always say to friends/villagers/neighbours..."Mer khrai mer man" (northern thai language Kum Muang) meaning " to each his own profession". You have 10 rai, i too have 10 rai...but the produce output are not the same. You farm paddy and i farm fishes, same 10 rai but i made 10x more than you. But my capital investment are in the million figures and yours are less than a 100k and you have credits, plant first and pay later...mine are upfront...cash. You can't do fishes like i do and i can't do paddy like you...

Stick to what you know best...sugarcane plantation.

After you got all the facts for doing Clarias in your area, study them to see if it is really feasible...

I will gladly discuss and guide you on how well you should go about farming and selling them.

Cheers...

Well that's fine RBH. But I think you've misunderstood.

My first line of questioning is "is it even possible to farm fish on a large scale relying on well water. If that is a negative, which it sounds like it is, no need for further investigation. Full stop. I may not be the smartest guy around, but I'm not an idiot either. No need to write a condescending post like this. Thanks.

As far as sugarcane goes.....hmmm.....knowing what i know now, I wouldn't advise anyone to go into it without some serious cash to invest. We have 100 rai and it's not enough to live off of. Not just off of farming cane. So we are looking at other options/ideas for what to do with our land that would be more productive.

revar where are you livivg in thailand (province or city)?

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Udon Thani area. within 100 km

The best well driller we have used so far drills to a depth of about 50- 60 meters. He said it depends on the amount of water that he is seeing and how many "holes" as they call them, he has hit.

Wow, you guys sure are paying a lot for holes in the ground.

A 4" diameter x 30M deep bore hole should only cost 4K-6K, and a submersible pump to suit around 6K as well. Even if it does die and the pump becomes irrecoverable for whatever reason after a few years, you can do it all over again 10 or more times for the prices being paid in this thread

Frankly, I find that hard to believe.

I live in the land of the broke Thai farmer. I have personally seen the lowest price in the area of 12,000 baht. Well was 4" at the top, but you couldn't get a 3" submersible deeper than 8 meters. It works, because the pump only puts out 1" (40 l/min).

You"re right about the pump.....if you buy 3" and chinese made - 4500 baht last year.

I was quoted 100k. With pump and guarantee to redrill If well runs dry.

Try and collect on that.

foreign surcharging....as you put it, would be the likely cause.

If you want to know other reasons, you'll need to get the company/driller to spec the well and equipment, or spec it yourself and have them quote on it.

water filter-"glong naam"

High end karaoke would be a better bet.

No wings on mine. I could go 3 ft down if I wanted to. It is designed and set up for fertiliser. It had cutting wheels on the front of it to cut the cane leaves left on the ground after harvest- so that they don't get all caught up on the legs. I took them off though because they never did run straight, most of us on larger fields burn and cut so may as well burn the scrap too. They are heavy, I should sell them for scrap.

The damn thing was expensive. I bought it at the New Holland dealer for 80,000 baht complete with double hoppers for fertiliser. You could get one made for a lot cheaper, but the fertiliser part of it may take some creativity. I runs off of a wheel that turns one auger for both hoppers. That means that one half of the auger feeds right and one half feeds left off the same rotation. Know what I mean??

The frame for the whole thing is as wide as the tractor and I could put front legs on it if I wanted....I could probably get about 8 legs all together on it, but I'm not sure my 90 hp would pull it if it was very deep.

We have started using drip irrigation for our fields. I'ver got 20 km of drip tape in the field right now. The Thais that have come to look would do the same if they had the money to start it off.

DR

Like I said. Our pond is just a hobby. I am not concerned about this pond. It is about 5m square and maybe 1 m deep. I would not use this pond for fish production. I would dig new ponds.

I am trying to assess wether or not we could do fish farming on a large scale (3 -4 , 2ngan ponds) with only a well for water supply. We could dig a pond to store water from the well, but ultimately there would only be a well for water.

No. I have no idea of the flow rate. I have not used it yet, nor did it come with any documentation.

I tend to agree, but I am learning from my own experience here that there are reasons (good ones) for some of the things that they do. A lot of them are financial reasons. Farmers here do what they can with what they have. Sometimes there is such a small profit margin, that they will not do something that they should do as it just eats into the profit margin and does not contribute to it enough.... or there is risk that it will not increase yield for the extra cost. Those of us with enough money can afford to risk a new method or technology because we have a tractor of our own, or we can withstand the loss incurred if there is one.

I only have one small pond right now. We stocked it last year with a thousand pal duk, but only for fun. Sometimes we catch a few to eat.

The small pond does not hold water really well. It is maybe 1 mter deep. I fill it once every two weeks about 30,000litres.

I understand what you say about wells. But I only have a well. No running stream or river nearby. Is it possible to farm fish with only a well? If you have a method that does not require water change, then I think it is possible. If water needs a 70% change once a week, then with only well water, capacity would be limited.

Can you re-use water after changing it? Can you treat it in another pond?

It would take me 2 days of continuous pumping to fill the reserve pond. If I was changing water in 3 ponds once per week, at 100 percent water change, my submersible pump would be running 24/7 continuous. Not sure if these pumps will last long under 24/7 continuous load.

If I lessened the water change to 50% water change, The pump would get some rest, but still would be working hard. Maybe 2 wells and 2 pumps if my underground supply is good. I don't know. Then have to factor in electrical cost for pumping water out of the ground first before distribution.

Question: When changing water, can the "used water" be reclaimed? What would you need to do to it to be able to use it again. So...pump it to another pond, treat it, and then re-use it. Possible?

Otherwise, I'd be looking at trying to dispose of a lot of water every week in an area without natural running water (in or out).

Question:

If you do not have running water nearby, in your opinion, could you do a reasonable sized operation off of a well that produced 200 litres a minute?

3 ponds for rearing and 1 for water reserve.

Thanks.

Thanks RedBullHorn

Yes. I bought one from Global in Udon. Not sure what brand, but it's sold in the section where they sell all the super product stuff.