Coco ,the latest craze

[Amicitia]

Coco growing is heavily promoted .

Does anybody have any real info ,not just having to look at the great money making opportunities they are talking about ?

[canuckamuck]

It was a big deal here last year, lots of folks buying trees, I don't know how the trees are doing now though. We decided not to buy any. I think they produce after two years. The thing is, The cocoa industry is struggling because people don't want to do the work, very labor intensive I hear. So it will be interesting to see if cocoa will take off here. I would like to know if anyone has experience with cocoa in Thailand. I might put some trees in this year just for curiosity's sake.

[farmerjo]

A guy came to our place with a coloured brochure.

Figures looked to good to be true so i googled Ghana as they are one of the biggest growers.

Their story didn't fare as well having to ask for more pickers allowances to keep the industry going.

Like any other tree,once established it will give a reliable income but not as much as they say.

Edited February 20, 2020 by farmerjo

[Liverpudlian]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

It was a big deal here last year, lots of folks buying trees, I don't know how the trees are doing now though. We decided not to buy any. I think they produce after two years. The thing is, The cocoa industry is struggling because people don't want to do the work, very labor intensive I hear. So it will be interesting to see if cocoa will take off here. I would like to know if anyone has experience with cocoa in Thailand. I might put some trees in this year just for curiosity's sake.

I thought same same but about rubber trees around 12 years ago and these days it seems to have bottomed out badly.

[khwaibah]

Another troll post.????

[IsaanAussie]

There are a few trees near me grown on an organic farm. The key lays in being able to produce enough to get a buyer interested or in adding value to the crop which could then be sold. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory stuff, everyone looking for a golden ticket!

 

[Grumpy John]

They came here the year before last.  I took one look at them and lumped them in with insurance agents and used car salesmen.  The wife translated a lot of their story but the more they talked the less interested they became to me.  They wanted 32k/rai for their crew to set it up.  Then they would send the pickers when the berries appeared.  We would get 7 baht/kilogram.......guaranteed. All the on costs were ours. This area is not suited anyway.  I don't think anyone in this area went for it!  Mut Yong Sit (spelling) trees are going to be the next big thing around here.....in seven years! 

[CLW]

Just another scam to fleece the small and average farmer in Thailand. 

If there would be any easy money to make the big companies starting with C and B would do it already. 

 

Decades ago it was rubber. Three years ago cassava. Then followed by strawberry, pineapple, Coffee and now cocoa. 

 

Unless you have solid background in Agriculture, money and labor, forget about those special crops. 

[Tayaout]

I buy chocolate from this Thai farm: https://s.lazada.co.th/s.0hreG

 

I don't see how you can turn a nice profit with anything unless you transform yourself or have huge volume and machinery.

[Speedo1968]

Mine is not a really helpful post but there was a discussion about cocoa in the Business News program on BBC Radio not so long ago.    Will try and find and post here.

Not related was an excellent story about growing tomatoes in a big closed house system in Saudi Arabia, even have bees inside to pollinate.

[kickstart]

On 2/20/2020 at 7:15 PM, Speedo1968 said:

Mine is not a really helpful post but there was a discussion about cocoa in the Business News program on BBC Radio not so long ago.    Will try and find and post here.

Not related was an excellent story about growing tomatoes in a big closed house system in Saudi Arabia, even have bees inside to pollinate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172wx92btkz3yb

I think this is the link.

This weeks dumb question ,is they a market for coco in Thailand? ,most will go for chocolate ,can not see Ferrero Rocher or Kitkat being made in Thailand ,but Nestle say Kitkat is Thailand's best selling chocolate. watch this space .

[Speedo1968]

7 hours ago, kickstart said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172wx92btkz3yb

I think this is the link.

This weeks dumb question ,is they a market for coco in Thailand? ,most will go for chocolate ,can not see Ferrero Rocher or Kitkat being made in Thailand ,but Nestle say Kitkat is Thailand's best selling chocolate. watch this space .

Thanks kickstart.
I listen everyday to the BBC Radio 4 business programs if I can, fairly easy for the layman.

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.