The Official Maize and Rotational Crops Thread

[farmerjo]

19 hours ago, IsaanAussie said:

The rice is being dried as is normal. Because of the water and lodging, plus low cut height, there is a bit of dirty straw in the mix. Shouldn.t be an issue in any of the mills around here. Definitely better than all the grass seed in last years harvest.

Hi IA

Just be a bit careful if storing for a long period with that amount of chaff as it can hold moisture in.

I thought my harvester samples were pretty good but now i'm cleaning i'm losing about 12% although yours wont be anywhere near that.

The positive that out ways the negative of cleaning for me is the millions of weed seeds i've taken out of the field.

That Yanmar harvester is a striking look of my Kubota,they must share some knowledge in design.

These pictures are from the 1st bag of the day.

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2021 by farmerjo

[IsaanAussie]

You look to have a weed seed content like we had last year. It took a while for us to find someone who could clean them out. Even then a lot of picking through the rice before cooking each day. Hope your new cleaner performs well.

[IsaanAussie]

Just now, farmerjo said:

That Yanmar harvester is a striking look of my Kubota,they must share some knowledge in design.

I thought the same thing. Maybe one of them has invested in a 3D scanner? Or as in my day's in the auto design field, one bought a "tear down" machine to reverse engineer?

[farmerjo]

12 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

You look to have a weed seed content like we had last year. It took a while for us to find someone who could clean them out. Even then a lot of picking through the rice before cooking each day. Hope your new cleaner performs well.

New cleaners going well,normally put same sample through 2 times and it looks good.

The odd weed seed that's left the mill can sort as i'm selling the lot soon as confirmation of the government rice pledge is sorted.

The family think they have other idea's for it like it's(hom mali) some sort of gold here.

I already budget buying in cow suey each year so i'm not being double dipped on this one.

Have about 3 ton of sticky rice leftover which will be on a truck as well.

[IsaanAussie]

Rough estimate of this years Hom Mali 105 harvest. It is a bit of a guess as some was sold, the rest dried and bagged and not weighed. 

We sold 1,400 kg at 9 baht. The rest has been stored bagged as normal in 120 bags. Usually those bags go 40 kg plus, so about 4,800 kg. Total 6,200kg off 12 rai or about 500 kg per rai. Not bad and a lot better than last year. 

[farmerjo]

3 hours ago, IsaanAussie said:

Rough estimate of this years Hom Mali 105 harvest. It is a bit of a guess as some was sold, the rest dried and bagged and not weighed. 

We sold 1,400 kg at 9 baht. The rest has been stored bagged as normal in 120 bags. Usually those bags go 40 kg plus, so about 4,800 kg. Total 6,200kg off 12 rai or about 500 kg per rai. Not bad and a lot better than last year. 

Well done,nice to hear.

So do all the farmers down your way save and eat hom mali as opposed to up here being sticky rice eaters.

The rice you sold IA,was the moisture 15 or under so the extra gov money gets to you.

The mrs has received two payments recently from the baac bank for rice.

The bank app she has for rice doesn't show anything other than payment,i think one would be the 15 rai subsidy but no clue for the other as together around 40,000 baht. .

 

[IsaanAussie]

27 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Well done,nice to hear.

So do all the farmers down your way save and eat hom mali as opposed to up here being sticky rice eaters.

The rice you sold IA,was the moisture 15 or under so the extra gov money gets to you.

The mrs has received two payments recently from the baac bank for rice.

The bank app she has for rice doesn't show anything other than payment,i think one would be the 15 rai subsidy but no clue for the other as together around 40,000 baht. .

 

Most grow Hom Mali a few grow a shorter variety that grows quicker. 

I don't know what the moisture level was, I didn't go to the merchant with them and the docket didn't have any detail. 

As for the rice deal, after many meetings and photocopies etc.. I decided to just fade away. In truth there is no way I would benefit from any income nor would the family listen to my opinion anyway. So I dont know, the missus will get her share if there is one to be had.

This year, money spent on machine hire was recouped. We have good seed for next year and more rice than they can eat. I am happy enough.

[kickstart]

5 hours ago, farmerjo said:

The mrs has received two payments recently from the baac bank for rice.

The bank app she has for rice doesn't show anything other than payment,i think one would be the 15 rai subsidy but no clue for the other as together around 40,000 ba

Wife's daughter and son-in-law where happy bunnies .........for about 3 days ,they just got they 500baht/rie subsidize  from the government vie BAAC  27 rie 14500 baht, I think? that is almost an annual payment ,I know they got it last year  ,time they paid back all they owed about used it all up.

They never got  the 15 rie subsidize,just could not get the 15 % moisture .

IA that is a good yield ,the above I think they said 330-350 kg/rie,that was for Hom Malie

[IsaanAussie]

4 hours ago, farmerjo said:

subsidy but no clue for the other as together around 40,000 baht. .

Stuff it me thinks, show me the BAAC passbook. Timing superb, two entries yesterday and today? Arh, that was why BIL borrowed the Ford to update the passbook today? Maybe? I thought I was told it was to get a COVID passport.

Anyway about 34,000 baht in total. What for, How, Blah blah..... For me, ATM insulation...

[IsaanAussie]

Just now, kickstart said:

IA that is a good yield ,the above I think they said 330-350 kg/rie,that was for Hom Malie

The best we had ran about 650 but only once after a big effort cleaning up some pretty rough land. This year much better than a bit over 200 last year. 

Between 250 and 350 is a normal here for most people who can afford minimal inputs, but it doesn't take a lot to get up to 500 plus, most of it being common sense not baht.

Big issue for Thailand and their famous Hom Mali rice is a lack of competitive development against other nations, they need to invest to catch up. Rama 9 did the hard yards but that was 30+ years ago.

[farmerjo]

33 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

Stuff it me thinks, show me the BAAC passbook. Timing superb, two entries yesterday and today? Arh, that was why BIL borrowed the Ford to update the passbook today? Maybe? I thought I was told it was to get a COVID passport.

Anyway about 34,000 baht in total. What for, How, Blah blah..... For me, ATM insulation...

???? you put a smile on my face IA.

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by farmerjo

[IsaanAussie]

17 hours ago, farmerjo said:

???? you put a smile on my face IA.

 

Good I am glad you caught the irony.

For years I have tried to explain simple economic planning and analysis of the results but I have to admit that their way (don't think too much) is better as it is easy. A bad year costs you money, why worry about it? The money is gone and ain't coming back! 

This year I purchased new seed for our land, held over seed was used on the family plots. We had a good yield, theirs not so good. But I am a nice guy so I have announced that I will use as much of our seed next year as needed. I will not buy seed. I expect to eat new season rice not the sweeping from their farms. They can then use the rest. 

The message that got through was do not sell "my rice" if you need quick money. Cash flow for next year's crop will not be supplied by me. Before they ask the answer will be MaiMee.

[farmerjo]

2 hours ago, IsaanAussie said:

Good I am glad you caught the irony.

For years I have tried to explain simple economic planning and analysis of the results but I have to admit that their way (don't think too much) is better as it is easy. A bad year costs you money, why worry about it? The money is gone and ain't coming back! 

This year I purchased new seed for our land, held over seed was used on the family plots. We had a good yield, theirs not so good. But I am a nice guy so I have announced that I will use as much of our seed next year as needed. I will not buy seed. I expect to eat new season rice not the sweeping from their farms. They can then use the rest. 

The message that got through was do not sell "my rice" if you need quick money. Cash flow for next year's crop will not be supplied by me. Before they ask the answer will be MaiMee.

You couldn't make it up if they tell you gov give me money for free.????

You said you bought new seed same as i.

It pays dividends.

Rice was an logical choice for me this year banking on a wet year and it worked out.

Only because all our profit will be from the gov. assistance.

I'm heading to town tomorrow with a sample of rice so will have more clarity of were we stand as to when i can off load it.

Mrs said today after being at local market she was told the payments were 1000 a rai for 15 rai and another 1500 a rai from the gov for new year,chinese whispers i expect.

Will get to the bottom of it one day.

 

 

[kickstart]

Our sugar mills opened about 2 weeks ago ,slow start no burning, what  have seen most is machine cut .

Last year t cut and haul cane it was 350baht/ton, not yet certain what it is this year ,but I would say with the fuel increase it will be the best part of 400 baht/ton .

This year's price is about 1000 baht /ton sugar containt not so good ,not yet certain  if government or the mill will sub the growers .

No weigh stations around here, straight from field to mill.

[farmerjo]

20 hours ago, kickstart said:

Our sugar mills opened about 2 weeks ago ,slow start no burning, what  have seen most is machine cut .

Last year t cut and haul cane it was 350baht/ton, not yet certain what it is this year ,but I would say with the fuel increase it will be the best part of 400 baht/ton .

This year's price is about 1000 baht /ton sugar containt not so good ,not yet certain  if government or the mill will sub the growers .

No weigh stations around here, straight from field to mill.

HI KS

Finally got out and about today.

Sugar has ramped up here as well,driving past the weigh stations they are all pretty consistant at 1130 & 50 a ton.I presume the 50 is CCS content.

Even saw some baled sugar leftovers.

 

Went to the rice millers with a sample,was delighted it made grade A after doing the extra work to clean it prior.

Only uncertainty was moisture at 15.3% so will put the last of it in the sun for a couple of hours prior to delivery.

Would hate to only get the current 10.3 baht/kilo instead of the 15 baht/kilo over such a small percentage and fair bit of extra work.

The QA lady there did ask how we got such good colour for around here,so growing on aerobic soils with no lodging as well as being direct seeded does have some advantages around here on a wet year.Just got keep working on weed control to get the yields up.

[kickstart]

3 hours ago, farmerjo said:

Finally got out and about today.

Sugar has ramped up here as well,driving past the weigh stations they are all pretty consistant at 1130 & 50 a ton.I presume the 50 is CCS content.

Even saw some baled sugar leftovers.

Still can not get my head around it ,our farmers are getting 1000 baht/ton for cane ,your weigh stations are 1130 &55 baht/ton,your local mill is paying a good  price, a lot more than ours .

I know they are different companies,but you would have thought it would be an all round  standard  price. 

Would have thought the 50  baht CCS would have been paid by the mill after a sample is taken,last year our mill was paying plus 50 baht ton ,all the farmers said that was a sub .

I saw some big bales of cane straw  today,going for biofuel, will try and find out how much a ton the grower gets .

[farmerjo]

On 12/18/2021 at 9:06 PM, kickstart said:

Still can not get my head around it

Your not alone KS.

Just came back from agriculture extension who by the way are running a money tree to update the building,serious is this what some government departments have to resort to.

Anyway i could not have been more wrong with the rice pledging.

So in our situation the mrs submitted her rice application with the pu yai ban for growing 15 rai of KK6 rice.

1st payment from BAAC was 15,000 baht which was 1000 rai which everyone receives of amount registered.

2nd payment was 25,125 baht so the government has averaged out growth of KK6 at 400 kilo/rai.

15x400=6000kg.

Current price difference is 4.18 baht(garantee price 12 baht,current 7.82)

6000x4.18=25,080 baht.

 

So all the newspaper reports i read about requiring 15% moisture was a farce.

No requirement to deliver x amount of grain to the mill.

No requirement to prove you actually grew 400kg/rai.

The government has just handed everyone the money.

 

I would of preferred that information on my 1st visit.

The insult to injury is i've still got another 10 days of cleaning to do then make the storage area lockable and rat proof till the price improves.

[IsaanAussie]

3 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

I would of preferred that information on my 1st visit.

How many times have we all said that?

My current bleat is with one of the local rice millers. This guy is a friend of the BIL apparently and started milling our rice a few weeks ago. First results were good, since then large amount of broken rice in one batch and low yield (30%) from the second. Today I spat the dummy and told him to clear off. I told him I didn't want his last season rice substituted for our new stuff. I also don't need him stealing so much of the second batch. 

Of course BIL chimes in to defend his mate. OK BIL, am I wrong? I hurl at him. Head hung down he says NO!

Well KS, I can't get my head around that stuff. This wombat is knocking the BIL off worse than me. But BIL has the last word, "He will not clean rice for us again, not even if I ask nicely. YOU (me) make him loose face too much!" Oh dear, how sad, lovely boys!

[farmerjo]

50 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

How many times have we all said that?

My current bleat is with one of the local rice millers. This guy is a friend of the BIL apparently and started milling our rice a few weeks ago. First results were good, since then large amount of broken rice in one batch and low yield (30%) from the second. Today I spat the dummy and told him to clear off. I told him I didn't want his last season rice substituted for our new stuff. I also don't need him stealing so much of the second batch. 

Of course BIL chimes in to defend his mate. OK BIL, am I wrong? I hurl at him. Head hung down he says NO!

Well KS, I can't get my head around that stuff. This wombat is knocking the BIL off worse than me. But BIL has the last word, "He will not clean rice for us again, not even if I ask nicely. YOU (me) make him loose face too much!" Oh dear, how sad, lovely boys!

My bleat.

Today i wanted to ask my mrs why she didn't put down the max of 40 rai with the pui yai ban since we actually did 87 rai and has cost us 40,000 baht with the assistance.

But i didn't because yesty arvo blew up when she decided to give the 2nd's from the cleaning away to a friend for their chickens.

Value adding i said,her nobody buy,me well they want them.

The sale of the 2nd's would pay the electric bill for cleaning and transport of good rice to the mill.

I was still wrong and not kind hearted.

Edited December 20, 2021 by farmerjo

[IsaanAussie]

FJ, for fruit salad sake, play the game mate! 

Lets say the electricity and cartage cost was 300 baht. I would ask my missus when her friend was going to deliver the 100 eggs (300/3) in return for her "kindness"?

You probably won't win but it will shut her up with the "black heart" comments.

[farmerjo]

3 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

FJ, for fruit salad sake, play the game mate! 

Lets say the electricity and cartage cost was 300 baht. I would ask my missus when her friend was going to deliver the 100 eggs (300/3) in return for her "kindness"?

You probably won't win but it will shut her up with the "black heart" comments.

????It's the travelling icecream man and his wife from a village away.

He turned up,sold us 200 baht of icecreams and got 12 months of chicken feed for free.

I'm in the wrong job....

[IsaanAussie]

Just now, farmerjo said:

I'm in the wrong job....

There is a best seller book in this stuff.

 

After three years of poor rains finally I have a couple of full ponds. The missus says this guy wants to buy the fish for 5K baht. I say only if he puts the water back. She says, OK! 

Tonight she says she got 5,500 baht for the fish and the water......

[farmerjo]

The main reason i blew up about the rice 2nd's was a day earlier the mrs said she wanted to give a bag of hom mali to a neighbour because she only grew sticky rice and no have good rice to eat.

I'm sill holding the 115,000 in expenses having not sold any yet.

This neighbour has farang in the family and not short of money.

I started getting these visions of giving her a bag and all of a sudden turning into father christmas dropping a bag off at all the communities houses as they heard we gave her a bag.

Sometimes you have to nip things in the bud before it gets out of hand.

Ta add it all started when we finished harvesting the sticky rice,i dropped 50 bags off at the Fil's house.

The next morning i drove passed to see him giving it away to the monks.

I don't think growing rice will be in the program next year.

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by farmerjo

[IsaanAussie]

Just now, farmerjo said:

before it gets out of hand.

Out of hand, really? How do you know how much merit you should make? Keep GO!!!

Come on you know that money has no real part in Thai culture of tamboon. It is something that farangs invented and print out on ATM machines. Real value is recorded in ledger books and records what people give at funerals, weddings, house warmings etc... how much rice, pillows and mattresses, and cash if they must. 

A farang will ask if they can borrow money, a Thai will ask if they can open your money. Ever seen a Thai close a gate behind them? 

 

Told you before there is a very funny book in this stuff

[farmerjo]

2 minutes ago, IsaanAussie said:

Ever seen a Thai close a gate behind them?

I've got to go to bed before you get me started on that one????

Been a rough few days,i wlll get over it now i've got it out of the system.

[farmerjo]

A happy and prosperous new year to all.

Everyone around here seemed to enjoy the festivities and now with the hoards heading back to Bangkok it's business as usual.

Rice done,Cassava done and sugar harvest back in full swing around here.

Noticed just before new year sugar had jumped up to 1250/ton.

I'm still waiting to put an alternative crop in as weather is still a bit cool for good growing conditions.

A neighbor put some corn in last month but not growing at all well.

Going to be interesting to see how many legume crops go in with the price of fertilizer this year.

 

 

[kickstart]

1 hour ago, farmerjo said:

A happy and prosperous new year to all.

Everyone around here seemed to enjoy the festivities and now with the hoards heading back to Bangkok it's business as usual.

Rice done,Cassava done and sugar harvest back in full swing around here.

Noticed just before new year sugar had jumped up to 1250/ton.

I'm still waiting to put an alternative crop in as weather is still a bit cool for good growing conditions.

A neighbor put some corn in last month but not growing at all well.

Going to be interesting to see how many legume crops go in with the price of fertilizer this year.

 

 

A happy new year to you as well .

As far as I know our sugar is still abut 1000  baht /ton ,harvest in full swing ,job to say, but I would say 50-60% is being cut by machine ,just a few big farms with their almost permanent  staff of Cambodians or Burmese are cutting by hand ,but a lot of big growers also grow cassava and most workers are out harvesting that.

Cassava still a long way to go ,but at 2.50 baht/kg ,a good price ,will be a lot grown again this year ,most on the same land,yet again .rotation of crops does not seem to be part of Thai vocabulary.

Our dairy farmers are in a dilemma ,most buy in all they feed stuffs ,one is maize silage ,they is a big shortage ,normal it is sold for 50 baht ish for a 25 kg bag ,now what bit they is is selling for 80-85 baht bag ,reason floods back in the autumn  ,they is a few crops being grown .all irrigated  land,word soon gets round, if you do see any growing in your area , water permitting that could well be going for silage .

As rice straw is regular hauled 100 km plus, 3-4 ton of maize silage  on a pickup  even with haulage costs could be a nice little earner ,as FJ said the big, but bit will be fertilizer prices .

[thoongfoned]

cane is 1300 baht a ton here +/- 50 baht.the biggest weigh station is not open this year..... people say the yield is good but.... still prob around 6/7 ton a rai. i walked a few plots the wife rents out and it looks sh5t as usual, luck to get 4/5 ton ect... all hand cut.

been busy selling the bagged pig poo,  cassava no.1  people are buy it for... 35 baht a bag..... sold by the 100's.

wife says its 1500/2000 baht a rai yr rent now on the cane, before only 1000.... everything is going up in price it sees

[farmerjo]

On 1/3/2022 at 8:58 PM, thoongfoned said:

wife says its 1500/2000 baht a rai yr rent now on the cane, before only 1000....

A friend down the road just rented their land out for sugar for four years,1000 baht/rai/year.

The total money is given up front.

I tried to give my advice and explain if they trashed rice in on the same land they would get more than double the money over the 4 years as long as the subsidies continue which i think they will.

So from my perspective 2000/rai for rent would be closer to the mark as the soil fertility is depleted yearly as well

 

[IsaanAussie]

3 hours ago, farmerjo said:

rice in on the same land they would get more than double the money

But real baht in the hand NOW will always win out. No risk, no effort, all profit.

Edited January 5, 2022 by IsaanAussie