Thai farmer turns backyard into mussel farm, earning 400 baht daily

[snoop1130]

 

A farmer in Nakhon Ratchasima has turned a hollow behind his house into a lucrative freshwater mussel farm.

 

The mussels, which are large, fresh, and clean, have found a ready market, with customers even purchasing directly from the mussel farm. With an average daily income of 400 baht, the farmer is gearing up to expand his mussel farming operations.

 

A report today, December 7, cited a farmer from Nong Mek village in Bua Yai district, Nakhon Ratchasima, who transformed unused land behind his house into a mussel farm. The venture has not only provided an additional source of income for his family but also met a high market demand.

 

Customers have been flocking to the mussel farm to purchase the mussels, which grow so quickly that they are often sold out even before reaching maturity.

 

Radaporn Khamphonethong, the 38 year old farmer, revealed that she was traditionally a rice farmer like most villagers. Still, she sought to create an additional source of income for her family. Noticing the villagers’ preference for mussels in their cuisine, she identified a gap in the market.

 

By Nattapong Westwood

Caption: Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-12-07

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[arick]

Mmmmmm?? 

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

With an average daily income of 400 baht, the farmer is gearing up to expand his mussel farming operations.

The only way is up.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Botulism for sale.

[Peabody]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Customers have been flocking to the mussel farm to purchase the mussels, which grow so quickly that they are often sold out even before reaching maturity.

What does this mean??

[Burma Bill]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

A farmer in Nakhon Ratchasima has turned a hollow behind his house into a lucrative freshwater mussel farm.

 

 

A shell company?

[jcmj]

Hopefully they will understand that they need to let them hit maturity and keep a sustainable farm. 

[worgeordie]

He/she ,calls them by both names in report , should have kept quiet about

the mussel farming , as now she's going to have a lot of competition and

the bottom will fall out of the mussel farming

 

regards worgeordie

[SunsetT]

How do they compare in size and taste to mussels from the sea?

[Maybole]

I am very fond of sea grown mussels and welcome this enterprise. How does the taste of fresh water shellfish compare with those from the sea?

[sirineou]

23 hours ago, worgeordie said:

He/she ,calls them by both names in report , should have kept quiet about

the mussel farming , as now she's going to have a lot of competition and

the bottom will fall out of the mussel farming

 

regards worgeordie

Now everyone would want to make 400 bht per day/ 

19 hours ago, SunsetT said:

How do they compare in size and taste to mussels from the sea?

Dont know about the one she is growing but the one's I see sold at the morning market seem to be good size and the ones I had in my tom yum soup were very good. 

The problems I have with mussels locally produced is that mussels are filter feeders . and as such in addition to the food they filter they can also accumulate polutand, and with such small operations , or mussels imported from countries with lax regulations, it is difficult to know if they are safe for human consumption. 

[soi3eddie]

No thanks. Too risky for sickness.

Fair play to the farmer though. Now public knowledge, the next news story will be "5,000 new freshwater muscle farms opened", and they have been endorsed with OTOP status too.