Strawberry Production In Highlands

[Nottelmann]

Hello All,

My name is Bob Nottelmann, I work for a company in California that specializes in the export of strawberry plants. I have a client from Finland that is interested in moving to Thailand and growing strawberries. Having reviewed the climatic data for several Thai cities it looks to me like the critical factor for my client's project will be finding a site cool enough for strawberry plants to initiate flowers and develop fruit. For flower initiation, night time lows need to average below 15 degrees celcius. Chiang Mai looks to be close but still a little warm. Do any of you who read this forum know the area well enough to help us find a community that would work?

The value of strawberry fruit in the market in Thailand could make this a very attractive crop for the right grower in the right community. Proper handling of strawberry fruit demands cooling to 2 to 3 degrees asap following picking.

Both me and my client will be in Thailand between Christmas and New Years and hope to travel investigate.

We have over 20 years experience in the strawberry but we also work with blueberry, blackberry and raspberry plants, all of which would be terrific high value cropping alternatives for small landholders in cool weather climates.

I'd be happy to work with anyone interested in establishing a planting.

Bob Nottelmann

[email protected]

[slapout]

The outer Chiang Mai city area along the canel road used to be strawberry fields, before all the high rises etc moved in. There should be no problem finding areas for strawberry cultivation, depending on size of project, land wanted to purchase or rent, etc. Land near flowing water, river/ canel, etc which may be sandy loam in nature would probably be a good starting point. There are lots of apecific areas presently devoted to watermelon which may be another avanue if they meet temp requirements.

[Smithson]

Years ago I saw hilltribes growing strawberries on the Thai-Burma border, an area much cooler than Chiang Mai. I think strawberry growing may be linked to royal projects and crop substitution. Considering the costs involved for international companies to set up here, I think it would be difficult to compete with hilltribes who are subsistence farmers and probably paying no rent for the land.

Just my thoughts.

[Nottelmann]

Thanks guys.

You confirm my impression of the area though I only spent R & R in Chiang Mai.

From my experience, and I've done this for over 10 years in more than 20 countries, subsistance farmers recycle the same old plant material over and over and end up producing small fruit of very poor quality for local markets. They handle the fruit like marbles and it lasts a day or two, at best.

My thinking is that an outsider could come in, and provide services to local growers: import quality plant material for local growers, buy back the fruit and market it to higher quality regional metropolitan markets. This kind of operation is really more stable (less risky) than that of an expat grower. The biggest hurdle would be cultural acceptance. A small demonstration plot could go a long way toward gaining acceptance.

Do you know of any contacts in the area that might be interested in collaborating or just helping us make initial contacts? I'd be interested in meeting University contacts or progressive vegetable growers with an interest in the area.

Thanks much for your interest.

Bob

[Maizefarmer]

On a commercial basis the only way it can be done in Thailand with any degree of consistancy and quality is through the construction of tunnels with evapourative cooling - which adds significantly to the the price of the strawberry.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hello All,

My name is Bob Nottelmann, I work for a company in California that specializes in the export of strawberry plants. I have a client from Finland that is interested in moving to Thailand and growing strawberries. Having reviewed the climatic data for several Thai cities it looks to me like the critical factor for my client's project will be finding a site cool enough for strawberry plants to initiate flowers and develop fruit. For flower initiation, night time lows need to average below 15 degrees celcius. Chiang Mai looks to be close but still a little warm. Do any of you who read this forum know the area well enough to help us find a community that would work?

The value of strawberry fruit in the market in Thailand could make this a very attractive crop for the right grower in the right community. Proper handling of strawberry fruit demands cooling to 2 to 3 degrees asap following picking.

Both me and my client will be in Thailand between Christmas and New Years and hope to travel investigate.

We have over 20 years experience in the strawberry but we also work with blueberry, blackberry and raspberry plants, all of which would be terrific high value cropping alternatives for small landholders in cool weather climates.

I'd be happy to work with anyone interested in establishing a planting.

Bob Nottelmann

[email protected]

That's an interesting idea.

Having looked at some of the posts so far, I had the thought that maybe, If possible, you should approach representatives of the Royal family, perhaps through your University contacts. The King is very interested in projects that help the indigenous people improve their quality of life. They have initiated many agricultural projects that explore the possibility growing various crops in Thailand. If you were able to approach them with a valid plan to improve the quality of strawberry grown by the local hiltribes and farmers, the Royal family might be very interested. If the quality of the strawberries grown was good enough to generate a profitable market in BKK for hilltribe grown fruit, it might be a win-win situation for both the hilltribes and your company. (Just thinking). Anyhow, it might be somethig worth looking into.

P.S. Just off the top of my head, Blackberry or Rasberry would be a better possibility. My Thai companion just loved the Blackberry jam a few years ago she had in Singapore. Good natural fruit Blackberry or Rasberry jams made from local fruit could sell well in Bangkok and among the tourists and foriegners living there. I think it could also take off with the Thais, also. Especially if it was marketed with the natural fruit/healthy angle.

[wdrk7]

Measalong in Chiangrai . Average now is 13 C at night . Seen the plants planted at the Royal Doi Tung Garden .

[Nottelmann]

Thanks to all of you for your interest.

I'm convinced that at least seasonal production in the highlands of northern Thailand is feasible without artificial cooling. It looks to me like even at the relatively lower elevations of Chiang Mai and Chaing Rai, flower bud initiation would occur through the months of Dec, Jan & Feb. Night time lows must average at or below 15 degrees for strawberry plants to initiate flower buds. The elevation of these two cities is approximately 500 meters and night time lows average at or below 15 degrees through these months. I believe the season could be extended by planting in the highlands to the west and north of Chiang Mai or to the west of Chiang Rai.

The climate most similar to the among one of the production regions I have supplied for many years is on Java in Indonesia, in and around the city of Bogor. This community is also at about 500 meters of elevation but at 7 degrees latitude south, I believe the farm is at about 1000 meters. The grower in Bogor produces fruit year around.

The varieties I see working in this area are subtropical varieties developed by the University of Florida. We have a long standing relationship with the University serving as their master licensee. We license nurseries overseas for the propagation of their materials. These materials are very well adapted to the low input agricultural methods used in high elevation microclimates throughout the tropics.

I see two approaches for involvement in the northern Thailand:

1) with an existing, progressive vegetable producer in the area, or

2) making a project proposal to an official organization for technology transfer to local peasant farmers.

For several reasons strawberries have a long history as a substitution crop or for a development tool in low input agricultural communities. It is a very high value crop with a turn around on investment of less than one year, it has a high manual labor requirement (job creation), no equipment requirement apart from the ability to cool fruit. I've read that there is interest by the royal family in subsitition crops but am not sure how to make contact for such a proposal.

Do any of you know whom I might approach for a project proposal?

Thanks again for your interest.

Bob Nottelmann

Ekland Marketing Company of California

bob (at) emcocal.com

[wdrk7]

Come down to Doi Tong and have a chat with the in charge there . They are direct to the royal family . The queen mother used to stay there . Now it is an agriculture center . They distribute planting material to the local .

[jandtaa]

the land either side of the super highway between Mae Chan and Mae Sai would appear to be where the main strawberry growing action occurs in Chiang Rai lots of road side stalls selling fresh strawberries ( high acidity levels compared to the U.K. cultivars ) and thousands of bottles of strawberry wine.

[Nottelmann]

Hello Jandtaa,

Thanks for your interest and the information.

Fruit sweetness is influenced by two primary factors: variety and climate.

Obviously, some varieties are simply sweeter than others. However, if the climate is too warm, the fruit develops too quickly for sugars to accumulate, regardless of variety.

My wife has done a little research on the web and found some work done at the University in Chiang Mai and all of the varieties mentioned are at least 15 years old and not well suited for production in the highlands of the tropics.

I've not seen any strawberry fruit in the markets in Bangkok that appears to be locally grown, all imported and super expensive; in excess of US$10/kg. There's an opportunity here for an entrepreneur.

A good grower in developed markets (and a long season) can yield in excess of 1 kg of fruit per plant. With the short season in Thailand, a good grower might get 600 to 700 grams. Plant density should be about 24,000 plants per acre.

The keys are:

1) Harvest, handling and marketing. The fruit should be field packed directly into plastic clamshells, palletized and immediately chilled to 2 degrees c. Shelf life when handled like this is a week or so. If its picked into a bucket, dumped onto a sorting table in a packing shed and not cooled, it will last a day on a road side stand.

2) Planting quality plants of the right variety.

3) Proper management of nutrition to develop a robust plant prior to fruiting.

4) Field rotation. Strawberry plants are very disease susceptible. If you don't plant quality plants from a reputable source on new ground, you will end up in a downward cycle toward garbage fruit and garbage prices.

Bob

[rice555]

Hello Nottelmann, 6 & 12 packs of large berries were being sold in BKK, the 12's were going for Bt.1100-1200, the berries were from Watsonville Ca.

Rasberry's are being grown in VN in the highlands from what I've read.

There as been a hydroponic greenhouse strawberry project in CM, it was perlite in hanging baskets, I can't find the picture now, but on their web site the show NTF tubes a little different setup the the NTF tubes used in the U of F with perlite. I just talked to one of the guy's about ordering some hydro supplies, I was hoping to go to their greenhouses in Pac Chong for a tour.

rice555

http://www.datt.co.th/home/default.asp

[Smithson]

I've not seen any strawberry fruit in the markets in Bangkok that appears to be locally grown, all imported and super expensive; in excess of US$10/kg. There's an opportunity here for an entrepreneur.

They are normally sold in the cooler months, so they should start appearing soon. My wife say's there around B200 a kg, not sure though. I'll post the price if when I see them (if I remember).

[Samuian]

Hello Nottelmann, 6 & 12 packs of large berries were being sold in BKK, the 12's were going for Bt.1100-1200, the berries were from Watsonville Ca.

Rasberry's are being grown in VN in the highlands from what I've read.

There as been a hydroponic greenhouse strawberry project in CM, it was perlite in hanging baskets, I can't find the picture now, but on their web site the show NTF tubes a little different setup the the NTF tubes used in the U of F with perlite. I just talked to one of the guy's about ordering some hydro supplies, I was hoping to go to their greenhouses in Pac Chong for a tour.

rice555

http://www.datt.co.th/home/default.asp

probably more successful, because of mildew and fungus born disease for all these Berry types...

and yes regulary I see strawberries in Tesco and at Tops... obviously not all year round.. but if it is season, even cherries, all these fruits are quite expensive, but then there is PLENTY of local stuff, i'll stick to it!

[think_too_mut]

Purely as a consumer, I am impressed how Japanese do strawberries.

At Emporium and Paragon, probably in more places, imported strawberries from Japan (into Thailand) can be found.

Shizuoka is the capital of strawberries.

This road along the coast is called "Ichigo Dori" = Srtrawberries Avenue.

Thousands of farms.

I have always wondered why JP strawberries do not need washing before they are consumed. This is why. No real contact with the elements and soil.

Covered and elevated:

Even in urban areas:

End of the season. Top class produce can be had for as little as 60 Baht:

[JungleBiker]

I've read that there is interest by the royal family in subsitition crops but am not sure how to make contact for such a proposal.

Do any of you know whom I might approach for a project proposal?

Hi Bob,

I suggest you contact the Director of the Chiang Mai Royal Agricultural Research Center in Hang Dong District of Chiang Mai Province. The Director's name is Khun Uthai Noppakoonwong - I think a visit to him will answer all your questions about strawberry production in northern Thailand and I am sure he can suggest people who may be interested to cooperate with you and your company in provinces like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Tel: +66 (0)53 432275 or 248407. Fax: +66 (0)53 432276 and 77. Email: cmrarc [at] yahoo [dot] com

Best regards,

JB.

[JungleBiker]

I've read that there is interest by the royal family in subsitition crops but am not sure how to make contact for such a proposal.

Do any of you know whom I might approach for a project proposal?

Hi Bob,

I suggest you contact the Director of the Chiang Mai Royal Agricultural Research Center in Hang Dong District of Chiang Mai Province. The Director's name is Khun Uthai Noppakoonwong - I think a visit to him will answer all your questions about strawberry production in northern Thailand and I am sure he can suggest people who may be interested to cooperate with you and your company in provinces like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Tel: +66 (0)53 432275 or 248407. Fax: +66 (0)53 432276 and 77. Email: cmrarc [at] yahoo [dot] com

Best regards,

JB.

[Nottelmann]

JB,

Thanks for the referral. I'll get in contact with him on Monday. I really appreciate your help.

My regards,

Bob

[Nottelmann]

Hello Rice555,

Thanks very much for your referral. I'll follow up.

My best,

Bob

[Nottelmann]

Hello All,

Please visit the websites of our companies related to the strawberry nursery plant industry. We provide certified nursery stock for strawberry growers around the world. We also represent several plant breeders of strawberry varieties. We license foreign nurseries to propagate state of the art strawberry cultivars.

We offer materials from two particular programs that are particularly well adapted to tropical and sub-tropical growing environments: University of Florida and Australia's Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

I've attached two photos of these materials, the photo showing a row of plants is one of the University of Florida's selections currently being trialed in Spain.

The photo of the single plant is the Queensland variety Rubygem taken in a commercial production setting.

I'll be traveling in Thailand in early March and am eager to develop new, serious relationships in this industry. Our websites are:

emcocal (dot) com

and

strawberry-plants (dot) com

skype bob.nottelmann

Best regards,

Bob Nottelmann

[manjara]

I think our land, just east of Ngao, between Chang Rai and Lampang is too hot, but it does get fairly chilly in the winter.

If the climate was ok there (not sure where you would look for statistics), I'd be open to trying it out with a few acres.

PM me if you're interested.