Rice Farming

[lberk]

First off, new to the forum.

I have been traveling back and forth to Thailand from the US for the past 4 years and now am planning to spend 3/4s of my time in Thailand. Wife is professor at SUT in Korat, and I am considering my options as to how to keep busy carrying on a business here. I am considering rice farming - but not the typical scenario. I have been studying the issues surrounding salt contamination of soils and how it is reducing or even eliminating yields. I believe there are short-term solutions with long-term inpact (i.e., generate yields in first year after remediation with increasing yields each subsequent year), and am wondering if one can buy abandoned rai at a substantial discount. As the cost of remediation is anywhere from (USD) $30 to $120 per rai I am leery of paying too much for the raw land.

Additionally, has anyone had experience using SRI techniques for rice production? All of the studies I have read indicate anywhere from 2 to 3 times normal yields using less seed, fertilizer and pesticide/herbicides per rai. Labor inputs might be somewhat greater, but the yields, if true, would substantially offset additional labor inputs.

Appreciate the feedback.