Growing Cassava In Thailand

[Khonwan]

^Kava sounds interesting! Let me know if you find the plant here in Thailand – wouldn’t mind having a go planting (and consuming) some.

[Nawtier]

I like Kava...well not the drink itself, but the after fun.

I lived on a south pacific island for 6 months and indulged a few times.

It should be able to grow here, same weather.

[somo]

Price in Chayapoum has been over 3Baht/kilo for some time and currently is 3.65. THere are new mills springing up all over the place so plenty of competition seems to be driving it.

Last year the price peaked in March april at about 4.80 Having said that all the mills around us cut 10% off their price for dirt content and it costs me about 400B/ton to get it out of the ground and to the mill.

Talking about stems for planting much of mine are tall but quite green and not that thick. They are new growth after we cut and sold most of ours last April/May.

I am a bit concerned that they will be unsuitable for planting next May and I may have to buy some in. I think stems will again be very expensive then as many farmers are harvesting now and won't have any of their own once the planting season starts.

I have noticed that some farmers are replanting now but thought planting at the beginning of the dry season was a definite no no! If anyone has done this before would be interested to know how it turned out.

As I understand it the stems used for planting should ideally be about an inch thick, with a woody look not green.

[Mikki]

Hi Somo Your stems will be fine next year,they seem to grow better when cut once, the best planting material comes from the middle 1/3 of the stem if i dont recall wrong.

Lots of farmers planted whenever they bought stems this year in my area and alot of it died due to the dry period that was long in the area. Many are alredy speaking that cassava is no good and sugarcane are starting to be the next "goldrush dreamcrop" for them.

Mikki

Edited December 7, 2010 by Mikki

[Khonwan]

Somo, I wish I was getting your price even with a 10% dirt-penalty. You should be able to avoid the penalty if you cut the tubers before loading into the trailer (rather than whilst on the trailer, which inevitably results in more soil being included in the weighing); I’m assuming you don’t have a heavy clay soil.

Since your re-growth is 7-8 months old, I agree with Mikki that you should have no problem, though I too would prefer them thicker and less green.

Many Thais do plant at this time. It is more risky but as long as they get the odd day of rain they should be okay albeit that they will grow very slowly before the major rains. Personally, I would not plant at this time.

Mikki, the more Thais that think like that, the better the price we will get!

[somo]

Hi Khonwan

Everybody cut the tubors off before loading but the mills cut everyone by 10% regardless.

Bit of a scam really as I reckon the dirt weight is no more than one or two percent of the total but the gross price is good. Last year I was seen knocking the dirt of some tubors and everyone laughed at my naivety.

Was chatting to some of the villagers this weekend and it seems they are expecting to pay a fortune for stems come april/May. Prices of 10-20k/rai were mentioned as possiblities. Everything is shooting up in price. Labour is now 200-250/day as opposed to 130 two years ago. As long as the price of cassava stays good that's fine as the benefits get spread around but if it falls back in a year or so I am sure labour rates won't go back down.

[gotlost]

Someboady needs to tell the buyers in Kap Choeng. 2.50 baht per kilo or 2500 perTon.

[gotlost]

Someboady needs to tell the buyers in Kap Choeng. 2.50 baht per kilo or 2500 perTon.

Just came back from another buyer 2.60 per kilo.

[Mikki]

Hi Gotlost..............I was tolled the same, price now around 2500bht/ton if you look on the exportprice on starch its 580 dollars/ton thats 40dollars from top price in may and then roots where paid 4000bht/ton or more . some guys are making alot of money but it aint the farmers if the price that Somo wrote about are still valid it might be an option to transport the cassava to Chayaphum.........??????????

anyone that has any knowlegde about freight prices???

Regards Mikki

[catwho]

Hi Gotlost..............I was tolled the same, price now around 2500bht/ton if you look on the exportprice on starch its 580 dollars/ton thats 40dollars from top price in may and then roots where paid 4000bht/ton or more . some guys are making alot of money but it aint the farmers if the price that Somo wrote about are still valid it might be an option to transport the cassava to Chayaphum.........??????????

anyone that has any knowlegde about freight prices???

Regards Mikki

Shkui where i live near korat is now 3.25 down from 3.45 a week ago,we are a 100ks before chayaphum.

[gotlost]

It is down to 2.40 in Kap Choeng. but 20 kilo away its 2.60. Transportation cost for the locals is the killer, for me up to 60 kilometers is OK. The locals buyers dont care who they <deleted>.

[somo]

There seems to be huge regional price variations.

In my area of Chayapoum price was 3.30 (2.97 after they chop 10% for dirt content) last week but there are 5 or 6 mills within a small area all competing.

[Mobaan]

There seems to be huge regional price variations.

In my area of Chayapoum price was 3.30 (2.97 after they chop 10% for dirt content) last week but there are 5 or 6 mills within a small area all competing.

In preparation to plant a new 18-20 month crop next year , we enquired with the local buyers. Most do NOT want to buy anything older than one year . Some may take older roots ,but warn that the starch content will be very low and if the roots strt to get hollow , they will not take them at all .

Whats all this ?

Has anybody any similar experience ?

[Khonwan]

All buyers in my area are happy with 18-20 month tubers. Cassava researchers report that starch content starts to reduce after 18 months but none of my buyers measure starch content.

Recent rain caused the price to drop here (Nakhon Sawan) – currently buying at 2,800 baht/t locally; I’ve delayed harvest until after the New Year.

Mealybugs are starting to show up in some cassava farms in my village – my crop currently free of the pest.

[Mikki]

All buyers in my area are happy with 18-20 month tubers. Cassava researchers report that starch content starts to reduce after 18 months but none of my buyers measure starch content.

Recent rain caused the price to drop here (Nakhon Sawan) – currently buying at 2,800 baht/t locally; I've delayed harvest until after the New Year.

Mealybugs are starting to show up in some cassava farms in my village – my crop currently free of the pest.

Hi Khonwan the price are up to 3000 bath now after a drop to 2500 bath. We have contacted the TTSA office in Huay Bong and asked about the A.Lopezi. Was tolled that it only was good against the pink type of mealybug. Have you heard anything about that ?

If it was the pink mealybug and it was many rais infected they would bring wasps to the area , if it was a couple of rais wasps could be picked up at the office.

But if it was the white type wasps would only die. Had to harvest 2 rais today that was infected with white mealybug. Regards Mikki

[pete_r]

All buyers in my area are happy with 18-20 month tubers. Cassava researchers report that starch content starts to reduce after 18 months but none of my buyers measure starch content.

Hi Khonwan,

Do you sell directly to the starch factories? I thought they were checking starch content systematically to determine the price of the truckload.

Thanks and regards,

[Khonwan]

Useful info, Mikki – thanks. So far only pink mealybug in my village as far as I know, and not too much yet.

There aren’t any starch factories near me, pete_r, so all my tubers go to one or more of the many driers in the area. You are right, of course, that the factories do measure the starch content, but not my problem here. The downside for me, I guess, is that the driers (who must themselves be subject to starch measurement) are presumably erring on the side of safety in the price they offer us. I found a method of doing this (DIY method) a couple of years back and can try to find it again if of any use to others; it involves weighing the tuber first as normal then again whilst suspended in water then applying some maths. There is a close correlation between the density of the tuber (which this method effectively measures) and the starch content.

Best regards to all for the new year, with best wishes for high prices and no pests!

[Dooler]

cassave soil fert.pdf

All buyers in my area are happy with 18-20 month tubers. Cassava researchers report that starch content starts to reduce after 18 months but none of my buyers measure starch content.

Recent rain caused the price to drop here (Nakhon Sawan) – currently buying at 2,800 baht/t locally; I've delayed harvest until after the New Year.

Mealybugs are starting to show up in some cassava farms in my village – my crop currently free of the pest.

the price in ban rai is 3.0 bath/kg

and attached some doc about cassava soil fertilizercassave soil fert.pdf

[somo]

Ban Na, Chayapoum it is 3.55 less 10% for dirt = about 3.19 net

My feeling is that it could go higher over the next month or so and plan to harvest most of my crop in Feb/March

[Dooler]

Hi.

In Chayapoum province it is about 2.30/kilo at the moment.

Who knows if it is the best time to harvest but if you do so now then the stems you cut will die before the rains come so you must have an alternative supply then. Stems are costing a lot at the moment for delivery in May when the rain comes - up to 8000 Baht/rai uncut which would be enough to plant about 3 rai so half your profit for the next harvest would be gone before you start if you hsd to buy them in.

Steve

Thank you. I am getting this information for another person who does not live in Chantaburi Province, so that is why I am asking.

The price sounds good now. I think I need to think more about ton mai. I had no idea you might get 8000 baht per rai for the ton mai.

You are in Chayapun Province. You said the rains come in May.

I really would like to know when the rains come in Chantaburi Province. Same time?

This is critical, I think, because it is my understanding that after the rains come the price you get for mansaparang declines dramatically.

So, in many cases, the best option is to harvest before the rains come when the price is high.

maybe some help!raifall distribution.pdf

[gotlost]

3.0 per kilo in Kap Choeng.

[somo]

Just sold about 40 tons at 3.65 - 3.70 about 3.30 net after they deduct 10% for dirt. Chayapoum

I feel it may well go higher in the next few months.

[gotlost]

Just sold about 40 tons at 3.65 - 3.70 about 3.30 net after they deduct 10% for dirt. Chayapoum

I feel it may well go higher in the next few months.

They do not play the dirt game in Kap Choneg. The 3.00 bpk is net. They just play screw the farmer.

[zoiz]

Hi Mr. Khonwan,

I'll be visiting Bangkok from 22 to 24 February 2011. If possible, can we arrange a meet?

Thanks & best regards,

Jackson

[Khonwan]

Hi Mr. Khonwan,

I'll be visiting Bangkok from 22 to 24 February 2011. If possible, can we arrange a meet?

Thanks & best regards,

Jackson

Yes sure. It will take you 4-5 hours to drive the 340km north to visit me.

[zoiz]

Hi Mr. Khonwan, Can you PM (message) me your email address sir? Thanks & best regards, Jackson

[Khonwan]

Hi Mr. Khonwan, Can you PM (message) me your email address sir? Thanks & best regards, Jackson

Em, why don't you just PM me?

[Khonwan]

3.4 baht/kg in my part of Nakhon Sawan these past few days (no deductions).

Rgds

Khonwan

[Bluetongue]

All the little local processors are offering 3.25 in Chantaburi but the big company sites of which there are 2 are offering 3.5. sometimes they advertise a percentage cut for not checking the moisture content but not at the moment. As I had corn last season I dont care but I'v gone for Mahn this season and just got most of it in due to good rain over the last 6 days

[teerak68]

Khonwan,

I have question.

I've seen your excel file. (casaba 2010)

on the 1st,2nd tab, you calculate Yield (metric tonnes) 2,000 Baht,

but on 3rd tab you calculate 3,600 baht

I think 3600baht is real market price.

I want to know where comes that 2,000 baht.

anything is hidden on market price?

thank you

P.S

Sorry, My English skill is not good. ^^;

I worry about you don't understand my thread