Looking For 1000 Rai Of Land

[SAP]

I am looking for area larger than 1000 rai for growing dry season seed corn, preferrably in Isaarn.

Needs to have river or resoivour within approx 1km of site.

Looking for long term 5 year lease

[JungleBiker]

I am looking for area larger than 1000 rai for growing dry season seed corn, preferrably in Isaarn.

Needs to have river or reservoir within approx 1km of site.

Looking for long term 5 year lease

Would you need to use the land in the wet season? There are many irrigation schemes in Laos that are used by small farmers to grow sticky rice in the wet season and then left idle in the dry season because they can't afford to grow dry season rice due to the electricity costs for pumping the water and the low returns from rice. The schemes are irrigated by big pumps floating on the rivers and feeding canals.

Also would you want to grow the seed corn yourself or contract the farmers to grow it for you?

I have a company in Laos that could act as your agent and make the contracts with the farmers - either to use their land or to grow the seed. If you are interested to discuss further please send me a pm.

[Maizefarmer]

###### - your farm will be nearly as big as mine (I have compitetion now!). Do you know how much seed you need to produce (seed production from hybrid to hybrid can vary as much as 35+%)? What is the seed ultimately for?

Oh man - big big project, and big cash outlay......... I'm just running through my mind the issues/problems/logistics/admin of getting this up and running - I hope a) you have experiance, equipment c) patience (huge fun putting the land contracts together - near to impossible to get a single piece of land that size), c) water avalibilty

Impossible?? - No , not at all - but I see the corn growing side of this project been the easy part of this. Yes - it will have to be someting like 3 - 5 years to get a return (the 1st year is going to test your tether - you have crop growing experiance at this scale - yes?)

SAP - what is the rationle here? Are you throwing in the towle on the "rat race" (strongly reccommended - farming great lifestyle) - whats motivated this?

Looking back on how I went about things grew something like 100 rai the first year - it kept me on my feet day and night - and I still only broke even. Okay thats years and years ago, but still I think the message applies today as much as then - step by step.

I can't help but feel JB's idea is a good one. at least for the start i.e. contract out (at least then you will have fixed costs for the first year or so).

The above are the first thoughts that come to mind - loads of other considerations behind these points - it really is a project and a half that will have you on your toes.

MF

[SAP]

I have set up two farms in China bigger than this, and also two in Thailand much the same size.

I have been growing this variety of seed corn for 3 years now, last year growing 300 rai, and the yields are 900+kg/rai, where the thai farmers are getting about 600 kg/rai. The Co already has 1000 plus contract farmers, but need to increase prdouction as demand is out stripping supply.

In the future like Junglebiker mentioned, Laos has potential and would like to catch up with you in Udon or Nongkhai, I already know people involved with Nam Tuam2 dam and also in the south near Pakse. But this Co wants to focus its pdn in Thailand at the moment

I have been working in Thailand doing coporate style farming for 7 years now, and have build up a good team now experienced in developing land, installing irrigaiton systems and mechanized farming.

The company that has approached me is American owned and run, and has been doing business in Thailand for more than 20 years. So I do know what I am getting myself into, but the honest truth is I love it, and personally I think I am good at it.

We have been watching closely syngenta and monsanto. They have had up and downs with large scale mechanized farming, so hopefully we can look at their mistakes, my past mistakes, my experience coupled with others to make this one a success also.

I already have 4 potential sites

MF I am actually hoping that up your way I will be able to find some blcoks of land for wet season pdn, as in Nongkhai, Udon, Sakon its too flat and marsh like. And my team sits idle for 4-5 months per year. Utilization of staff machinery etc...

[Maizefarmer]

SAP

If you have that experiance it outstrips mine - so I am speaking out of place. Apologies for the patronsiing words.

SAP, you wil know Monsanto and Syngenta produce most of their seed in the Saraburi plains area. That area - extending up to Muak Lek and as far Pak Chong are by far the best corn seed areas in Thailand - and where the largest corn seed farms are. if you are hoping to achieve 900kg/p/rai on a regular basis, you will also know it has to be those areas where you will be looking for land/farms and farmers. Up here in Loei and the North East, while possible, would very much be a 2nd choice area. Saraburi is also the area where least irrigation is and has to be practised.

Why that area? Because they can so much more easily produce 2 crops per year - as opposed to up here where unless you have high land (which I do - bottom slopes of a high mountain, and which is comparatuvely rear for the North East), you are going to run into water logging in the wet season(flat and marsh like as you observed) - which creates problems for the 2nd crop most years.

Korat and Saraburi provinces have to be the areas to look at, and or back to JB's idea i.e. contracting out to smaller farmers

I would though love to see/try out some of the hybrid you guys are using - and question: what are you paying per kg corn seed produced and at what moisture percentages (take the last season as an example)?

MF

[JungleBiker]

In the future like Junglebiker mentioned, Laos has potential and would like to catch up with you in Udon or Nongkhai, I already know people involved with Nam Tuam2 dam and also in the south near Pakse. But this Co wants to focus its pdn in Thailand at the moment

Alright, I'm a bit busy the next few weeks, but after that I will contact you to see if we can meet in Udon or Nong Khai; a Sat or Sun would be better for me.

[old wanderer]

SAP,

My wife and I have some farm land near Wang Moung (Saraburi), with irrigation water available year round.While much smaller than what you are looking for at least it is in the right area as MF mentioned. I would be intrested next year to talk to you about contracting for some seed corn. Right now I have the land leased out for this year. I have about 10 years experience growing dry land and irrigated grains in the USA>

Also working this month to close a deal on another small plot ajacent to gurarantee my access to the irrigation canal.

Edited May 11, 2007 by old wanderer

[chownah]

SAP,

Going to grow your seeds organically?

Chownah

[Maizefarmer]

SAP

Why is this company only interested in growing at the worst time of the year (dry season)?

MF

[SAP]

MF you do make a good point about location, and we are willing to look any where in Thailand. The Co has their main Pdn with contract farmers out of Sukhothai.

So far I have one site in Nan and another in Doi Tao (both east and south of Chiang Mai) to look at.

The main reason for doing dry season pdn is that the male inbred does not like wet feet, so controlled irrigation is important.

The yields I qouted before are calculated at 27.5% moisture at harvesting.

On Tuesday I am going to look at a block supposedly 7,000 rai near the Mekong.

The hybrid, is for feed corn, and is the best drought tolerant hybrid on the market. The company has its own research facility in Thailand. The company name is Seed Asia, and the Hybrid is called 222.

[Maizefarmer]

Okay - so you are a buddy of Timmy Welsh - I know what this is all about. How on earth did you get tied up with that lot - are you employed by AS or GFS???

Yup, they certainly are trying to expand at a rate and a half!

To answer the land avalibility question - I know of a 647 rai plot on 3 degree slope about 14 km's from Saraburi that is has been fallow for 3 years (owner is incarcerated till 2011!). It's 4 plots making up a right angle tri-angle. I nearly rented it myself in 2005 - and would have were it not for the fact that I didn't see eye to eye with a local. One edge runs along the Pasak river for about 100 yards - so that sorts the water out.

If you think that sounds any good, let me know and I'll check out the status for you. Usual Thai terms of business will apply (hint hint ....) - I'll get you past the bastard middle man I ran into!

That's pretty much all I know about that I think I could offer that would be viable.

A question from my side - chance you find out for me from some info about 222, SAP?

My main hybrids are DeKalb 919 (Monsanto) and CP 888 (CP Group)

Any hybrid that has the potential to either lower cost or increase weight per rai for dry season fresh feed would be of great interest. My biggest cost is irrigation for dry season fresh feed - mixed with silage - any hybrid that can reduce that has to be worth looking at if it could compete with 919 or 888. (e.g. fertilser requirements, water requirements, row spaing, herbicide/insecticide schedule, time to germination, time to maturirty blah blah, blah blah....) - would love to see that.

Thanx

MF

[nitecm]

A question from my side - chance you find out for me from some info about 222, SAP?

My main hybrids are DeKalb 919 (Monsanto) and CP 888 (CP Group)

Any hybrid that has the potential to either lower cost or increase weight per rai for dry season fresh feed would be of great interest. My biggest cost is irrigation for dry season fresh feed - mixed with silage - any hybrid that can reduce that has to be worth looking at if it could compete with 919 or 888. (e.g. fertilser requirements, water requirements, row spaing, herbicide/insecticide schedule, time to germination, time to maturirty blah blah, blah blah....) - would love to see that.

Thanx

MF

Hi

I am a new comer for growing corn. I have order 5000 kg of corn seed for next year at 18 bath per kg .Is there anyone sell cheaper than this around Chiangmai .

Please advise.

How much is the corn price for the corn pluck from the plant immediately .

Thank

nitecm