Noodle Farm

[loong]

My Thai family want me to invest in a noodle farm. I'm quite interested as this doesn't appear to be the usual hare-brained scheme and is quite well thought out.

At the moment most of the noodles consumed in Thailand are imported from China, this seems ridiculous to me as the noodle bush can easily be grown in Thailand.

Why don't more people do it? Because the noodle bush will not bear fruit until 5 years after planting. The long wait for any return is the biggest disadvantage.

It seems that it is best to concentrate on the Wuntineung maysaayon (commonly known as Mama type) noodle as these offer the greatest return on investment. Most of the Mama noodle farms in Thailand are situated around Ayyuttaya and were destroyed during last years floods. You propbably noticed the shortage of Mama noodles in the shops at the time. Thailand is now having to import a lot of extra Mama noodles from China to make up the shortfall.

So, following the floods, now is the perfect time to get in on this business.

The only thing that really concerns me is the long dry periods in this part of Isaan, but I am assured that as Mama noodles are a dry product, they actually require hardly any water.

I really cannot see any downside with this idea apart from the 5 Million Baht setup costs and ongoing expenses for a 5 year period before seeing any return at all.

I must admit that I am getting quite excited about this and can't believe that nobody else has mentioned such a brilliant business idea on this forum before.

I would like to know if any other Farang have dabbled in this and would welcome any helpful suggestions.

[jcgodber]

APRIL FOOLS

[theblether]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

[loong]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

[BookMan]

It is a great investment OP.

More Thai farmers should be getting into this market. Like you I'm at a loss as to why they don't.

I hope you have factored into your investment plan the giant flavouring silos that you will need to add to the end product.

Just imagine...if all Thai farmers started their own noodle farms .... next time it flooded the farms and swept away the crops...you could release the valve on the flavouring silos and all people down river would have to do is scoop up the ready flavoured noodle flood waters and heat them up.

Brilliant.

Edited March 31, 2012 by BookMan

[loong]

APRIL FOOLS

Shame that I don't have the Mods' power to remove posts as this was the type of reply that i was hoping to avoid

[loong]

It is a greta investment OP.

More Thai farmers should be getting into this market. Like you I'm at a loss as to why they don't.

I hope you have factored into your investment plan the giant flavouring silos that you will need to add to the end product.

Just imagine...if all Thai farmers started their own noodle farms .... next time it flooded the farms and swept away the crops...you could release the valve on the flavouring silos and all people down river would have to do is scoop up the ready flavoured noodle flood waters and heat them up.

Brilliant.

I like tha way your mind works

[travelmann]

Be careful growing noodles in a bush can lead to thick black hairs in the noodles and customers wont be happy and be asking for a refund. It also gets quite messy on a monthly basis, and although Thais like Ketchup to excess Im not convinced this is going to work.

Edited March 31, 2012 by travelmann

[theblether]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

Ignore that guy that said April Fools, people are trigger happy today and more fool him for not seeing the investment opportunity here.

There is no greater investment than food, food inflation is rampant and the one thing that is not being made today is more land, with the population explosion food will become an even more valuable commodity. I say go for it.

[travelmann]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

Ignore that guy that said April Fools, people are trigger happy today and more fool him for not seeing the investment opportunity here.

There is no greater investment than food, food inflation is rampant and the one thing that is not being made today is more land, with the population explosion food will become an even more valuable commodity. I say go for it.

Blether then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

[theblether]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

Ignore that guy that said April Fools, people are trigger happy today and more fool him for not seeing the investment opportunity here.

There is no greater investment than food, food inflation is rampant and the one thing that is not being made today is more land, with the population explosion food will become an even more valuable commodity. I say go for it.

Blether then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

There is cause to build some extensions to the Bangkok area delta, the same way extended the shore at Dubai. You see global warming is going to have the effect of swamping many cities and coastal areas, and I think Thailand should be flying in some Dutchmen to show them how to build dykes, and land engineers from Dubai to them how to reclaim land. It's a race against time for Bangkok you know.

We need a lot more dykes in Bangkok.

[kevjohn]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

Ignore that guy that said April Fools, people are trigger happy today and more fool him for not seeing the investment opportunity here.

There is no greater investment than food, food inflation is rampant and the one thing that is not being made today is more land, with the population explosion food will become an even more valuable commodity. I say go for it.

Blether then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

That's a great line of thinking travelmann

[ThaiPauly]

Mama Noodles are always on the lookout for new suppliers for their new "crispy pubes" flavour, could be worth contacting them

Great business idea by the way, don't know why others looking to make money in LOS have not thought of it before

[StreetCowboy]

May I remind fellow posters to keep on topic, and to use the 'Report' function when off-topic posts attempt to divert us into other avenues for discussion.

You may recall a documentary in 1957 regarding spaghetti trees, which may be of interest to the OP.

Noodles are great; it really helps to use one's.

I imagine noodle farming would prove very successful in Isaan, because of the number of buffalo required. I am surprised at how easily people from Isaan seem to be able to trap buffalo.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

A friend of mine invested heavily in a noodle farm with his in-laws. He was concerned about the low rates of return. Anyway, he never gave me the full details, but apparently there is some sort of trampling process involved (presumably similar to grapes) for which concrete footwear is worn. He had just been fitted for his, and was about to get a boat up the Choa Praya back to the farm to help out.

I'll need to try and get back in touch and ask how the season went; I've not seen him since...

SC

[kevjohn]

_{The son in law up in Korat told me that he was thinking of growing a combination of noodles and chickens together.}

_{Just wondering what theblether's thoughts might be on this.}

[bendejo]

Better yet try gowing dental floss.

It worked for Frank Zappa.

[toybits]

rehash.. You did not even try to be a bit more original.

[StreetCowboy]

rehash.. You did not even try to be a bit more original.

Would rehash grow well in the clay soils in Thailand?

SC

[Scott]

There is a rumor that they are genetically modified, so they would be considered by Europeans to be a Frankenfood.

[canuckamuck]

I have extra noodle seed for sale, 50 baht a pack, I have several flavors but tom yum seems to be the most popular

[Ricardo]

The noodle-bush is presumably related, in the botanical sense, to the spaghetti-tree, which the BBC once ran a story on, at this time of year ?

[BookMan]

rehash.. You did not even try to be a bit more original.

but he did try

[loong]

rehash.. You did not even try to be a bit more original.

You expect originality in Thailand??

[pattayadingo]

Some inter-breeding could go down so well. You could get Farang noodles and Issan noodles together, leave them in a room for some time and let them spread their seeds before allowing them to germinate together. You would have to inspect the Issan variety though to make sure they have a good bush to begin with. A trimmed bush could lead to problems so inspect carefully. Leave a buffalo outside as a guard.

In 9 months time you could be on a winner with Leuk Krung variety, not too dark and not too white.

[scorecard]

You need to be careful, you cannot guarantee the size and quality of the noodles from one plant to the next. It then takes a lot of sorting and packaging as supermarkets these days are always looking for perfection. Very labour intensive and it can eat into all your profits.

Thanks for the advice Khun Blether. I appreciate it, especially when it comes from such a level headed and respected TV member such as you.

I was sure that the first reply would be some sort of blast about how I was just throwing away my cash on a foolish investment

Ignore that guy that said April Fools, people are trigger happy today and more fool him for not seeing the investment opportunity here.

There is no greater investment than food, food inflation is rampant and the one thing that is not being made today is more land, with the population explosion food will become an even more valuable commodity. I say go for it.

Blether then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

Hey I wanna know more about that. If I make the land myself, can I own it?

[loong]

The noodle-bush is presumably related, in the botanical sense, to the spaghetti-tree, which the BBC once ran a story on, at this time of year ?

I understand that the spaghetti tree doesn't flourish in this climate. You've given me an idea though. Maybe try grafting onto the noodle bush. Although a smaller market, spaghetti would surely bring higher returns

[loong]

... then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

Hey I wanna know more about that. If I make the land myself, can I own it?

I've never actually seen one of these machines, I don't think that there are any here in Isaan. I think that they must be in Pattaya because I know of quite a few ladies that have no land at all but after going to Pattaya they suddenly have lots of land and a new house. The machines for making gold and pick-ups are probably also located in the Pattaya area.

[scorecard]

... then perhaps not only should he invest in the noodles but also some Land making machinery"??.....just trying to be helpful

Hey I wanna know more about that. If I make the land myself, can I own it?

I've never actually seen one of these machines, I don't think that there are any here in Isaan. I think that they must be in Pattaya because I know of quite a few ladies that have no land at all but after going to Pattaya they suddenly have lots of land and a new house. The machines for making gold and pick-ups are probably also located in the Pattaya area.

I wonder what's the most productive positioning of these land, house, gold making machines is. Vertical or horizontal?

And can you own one of these machines outright, of do you have to lease them long term with regular royalty payments going back to the original manufacturers?

Edited April 1, 2012 by scorecard

[loong]

_{The son in law up in Korat told me that he was thinking of growing a combination of noodles and chickens together.}

_{Just wondering what theblether's thoughts might be on this.}

Is this how they make egg noodles?

Some inter-breeding could go down so well. You could get Farang noodles and Issan noodles together, leave them in a room for some time and let them spread their seeds before allowing them to germinate together. You would have to inspect the Issan variety though to make sure they have a good bush to begin with. A trimmed bush could lead to problems so inspect carefully. Leave a buffalo outside as a guard.

In 9 months time you could be on a winner with Leuk Krung variety, not too dark and not too white.

I disagree about the trimmed bush statement. In my opinion careful periodic pruning is a necessity. In fact at times, it is a good idea to completely remove all foliage as will require less spraying to prevent mite infestation and fungal infections