Palm Trees/Palm Oil

[Charlie1]

I know precious little about the palm oil industry. I have studied the processing and for the life of me, I cannot work out why the fruit bunches get transported over such large distances when they could be at least expelled onsite and the waste recycled onsite or shipped closer with just the raw oil being shipped to the refinery.

Can anyone fill me in?

No, I can't

[Mosha]

@Charlie1 Charles I'm in Raning and the local depots charge around 35 cetang/kg to come and harvest the palm

[likewise]

The age plays a difference, soil and fertilizing. Most we ever got was 13400 kilo, but this can still go up as the 6 year old trees will give heavier fruits at the age of 8. Also at the other plot we have about 3 rai with trees that are only 3 years old, so these fruits are still very small.

we are also in the Krabi area .

Indeed if you do not have own vehicle it is possible to pay 600 per tonne.

Regarding fertilizer, they need about 9 kilo per year, so we usually divide this over 3 times. You'll also notice that some periods there is just less palm fruits in the trees. All by all it is a good income, I personally am there once or twice per week, co-ordinate, help out with mowing, cutting old leave and stuff. I love being a farmer boy

[likewise]

@ Charlie 1 I do NOT advice to let a company do the cutting for you, get your own team and sell it yourself at local wholesaler/weigh station.

[Charlie1]

@ Charlie 1 I do NOT advice to let a company do the cutting for you, get your own team and sell it yourself at local wholesaler/weigh station.

Hi Likewise,

thanks for the reply!

@ Mosha: Thanks for the Info about price for cutting!!

I have just started with Palm. Bought the 9 Rai just a few weeks ago and I also am very happy with it!!

It is the same team cutting as before we bought the land. He's a neighbour and caring plantations is all he does, alltogether 7-8 people.

I will have to talk with him concerning the price for harvesting and leaf cutting as well. Last week he took 15 Baht per tree... Seemed quite expensive to me as well. We accompany him when he brings the fruit to the local ramp, so, no way of cheating, I hope...

Have just finished cutting grass myself... That when 9 Rai looks larger as it is... But from now on, I'll do 1 row a week.

I love to work in the plantation as well, it's fun, although sweating like hell !!

Greetings !

Charlie

[likewise]

Hehehem yep sweating is part of it but it keeps you fit . 15 baht per tree is a bit steep, we pay 10 to 12 baht depending with how many they guys they work. We have a small team, that's been working for father in law for years, only 4 guys me as driver and roustabout helping out, father in law is a great help as well. We cut one plot of 17 rai, start at 9 am finish around 2 to 3 pm, then next day off to the other plot.

[oldsailor35]

I recommend this book “The oil palm " by R. H. V. Corley and P. B. H. Tinker

It is expensive 259 US $ on Amazon but its worth the money.

Best Regards

Pinn

ISBN0632052120..........Yes it will tell you absolutely everything !

[oldsailor35]

My FIL has got 91 Rai of PO. Never thought to ask him the type!

Most important thing is water. Rainfall not less than 1.800 mm per year is preferred. 150mm per mth.

Sunlight 6 hrs per day min.

At the present time prices are down, but not so long ago he was getting 9 bht kilo.........its cyclical. However there is a crop every 20 days all year around. Cannot go more than 60 days of dry spell. Avge yield per Rai (ton) 1.9 to 2.2. Then after 4th year avg 2.45 tons till mature.

25 trees per rai should yield 4-5 tons per rai mature trees. I think he said that last year 17rai ( mama's bit) grossed bht 100,000......Avg cost per kg/bht. 1.475 (last year)

Not sure where you are, but here's some stats for the PO growing areas........

RAINFALL.

Krabi...1825mm.

Surat...1710mm. ( FIL farms here, and has ample water storage when needed)

Chumpon...2029mm ( I think you can farm PO as far north as Prachup KK).

Level of Drought.

Krabi...369mm

Surat...509mm.

Chumpon...208mm.

Days of drought.

Krabi...90.

Surat...120.

Chumpon...82

Ideal planting 22 - 24 trees per rai. Contractors do all the harvesting and bunches go direct to the mill.

Edited December 18, 2012 by oldsailor35

[oldsailor35]

I know precious little about the palm oil industry. I have studied the processing and for the life of me, I cannot work out why the fruit bunches get transported over such large distances when they could be at least expelled onsite and the waste recycled onsite or shipped closer with just the raw oil being shipped to the refinery.

Can anyone fill me in?

No, I can't

Hell mate , that would cost too much.

[oldsailor35]

I read a tree can produce for about 30 years though.

Been a long time since I did any real research on PO, over 5 years at a guess.

Like most things there is a lot more to it then meets the eye.

First you as a planter would not be producing oil, unless you were making some sort of specialty item. The pulp is not only used, but the seed produces a high grade oil as well.

Outputs vary greatly from areas to areas, it's a rain fall thing. Next there are different trees and I believe even some super trees from Malaysia now.

Many Malaysian sites on PO are in English, that may well be a better place to start looking.

Know there are posters on here who have PO, but never really read of anyone giving real numbers etc from their plantations.

Perhaps if you said your location someone nearby doing some PO could give you a tour. Always easier to see and understand first hand.

Good luck with it. Jim

Yes James, some of the earlier trees are not very good producers, but in later years better strains have been coming in from Malaysia. in fact my FIL ripped out about 20 rai about 4 yrs ago and replanted with better stock from Malaysia.

[nokbird]

Johnson & Johnson first certified for "sustainable" palm oil procurement

Johnson & Johnson, the world's leading health care company, won the purchasing deal of RSPO certificates under the Book and Claim system* from Thailand's four independent oil palm smallholders' groups, the first in the world to be certified with the RSPO standard. Through the purchase of the RSPO certificates, direct support is provided to small scale farmers and sustainable palm oil production.

Adherence and certification to RSPO Principles and Criteria provides rigorous assurance that palm oil is cultivated and processed in a sustainable and responsible manner. The certification of the first groups of independent smallholders is a major step forward for Thailand's palm oil industry. more The Nation (As skin deep as this newspaper is and incompetent some of their reporters, this may be of interest to Thai Palm Oil farmers)

[huuwi]

any idea what it is, some of our POT the leaves are getting yellow, is that because not enough fertilizer or to much, or is there any other reason. we are located in trang, so lots of rain.

[Charlie1]

Can recommend to do a soil test. Many fertilizer shops offer this possibility. Then at least you can figure out whats missing. But this time of the year, trees have their leaves hanging because not as mich rain as usual. I hope it's not something worse, like disease or insects...

[huuwi]

thanks charlie1, missus said lots of rain in trang.

can it be that to much fertilizer is used?

[Pinnfinola]

any idea what it is, some of our POT the leaves are getting yellow, is that because not enough fertilizer or to much, or is there any other reason. we are located in trang, so lots of rain.

Could post a picture of the palm trees?

[huuwi]

Like to, but I'm inPhuket right now and leaving for the andaman islands in a couple days.

Will be back on April 3rd and then post some pictures.

This picture is from August last year and all was fine.

[mrick06]

Hello everybody.

I am new on this forum.

I just have 20 rai near rayong. We will put trees in a few weeks. (23 by rai).

I know, i have to wait minimum 2 years for make money but i have an another opportunity. I can have another 20 rai near a river for 55000 thousands baths per rai.

So I must ask the bank for a credit, but for be sure i need to know how much money i can make with this. I know it depends on how you take car the lan but i would like to know approximatively.

It is a very important decision for my future in thailand...(i live in france for now)

Can someone help me ? If you need to know further information for calculate how much i can make, do not hesitate.

Thanks to everybody.

[Mosha]

Approx 25 trees per rai. at 4 year old the trees will only give about 5kg a bunch. every 3 week or so. 7 or 8 year and you start to get bigger bunches. Price on average last year was about 3.5 Baht/kg

[Charlie1]

Bonjour and welcome! Count for approximately 1.000,- Baht per Rai per month net profit. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on drought, price for ffb and many other factors. Good luck!

[Mosha]

I forgot to say, don't be an absentee farmer. You'll get screwed even by "family".

[oldsailor35]

My source is 25 years, but the main thing is to get started.

That's what I'm doing at the moment.......getting 600 saplings arriving wednesday, not sure which variety......but they are the same that our cousin has and his trees have started producing after 2 1/2 years after planting. His place is only 1 1/2 km away from where we will be planting so same climate .....plus we have irrigation from the local big dam so hopefully if we get things set up right.....cross fingers and enjoy the profits.

p.s. if I'm still here in 25 years I will be a very happy chappy.

Where are you? This is most important as PO requires a high rainfall. Anywhere north of Chumpon and you are doomed for failure.

[oldsailor35]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

>If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

hi pinn,

is it good or bad to have oilpalm in trang.

we just planted 10rai.

huuwi

Its all about "Rainfall"

[oldsailor35]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

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If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinnockquote>

hi pinn,

is it good or bad to have oilpalm in trang.

we just planted 10rai.<br />huuwi

Sorry but it should have been Trat, ( dont know how to Edit my posts)

But yes Trang has enough rain. Only three months of "dry season".

Take look at Thai Meteorological deparment´s web page and check 30 years average for Trang

Oil Palms need at minimum 100 mm per month. 200 mm per month is ideal, a little rain every day in the evning would be best.

Good luck with your plantation

Best Regards

Pinn

Preferable not to have a dryspell of not more than 60 days per year. Rainfall not less than 1800 mm per year. 150mm per month. 6 hrs sunlight daily. 25 trees per Rai. Crop after 4-5 yrs. Producing avg 60kg per tree.

I don't have PO but inlaws have 91 Rai just south of Surat Thani.

Avg Annual Rainfall.

Krabi.............1852 mm

Surat T..........1710 mm

Chumpon......2029 mm.

Prachup Kiri Khan....1160

Level of Drought.

Krabi..............369 mm

Surat T............509 mm

Chumpon........208 mm

PKK...............616 mm

Annual Days of Drought.

Krabi ................90

Surat T..............120

Chumpon...........82

PKK..................195.

Prices are very low at the moment, having reached 2 Bht per kg., but starting to climb, just over 3 Bht. Not so very long ago it was 9 to 10 Bht. However there is a crop every 20 days all year round as opposed th 8 months with rubber.

Edited April 14, 2013 by oldsailor35

[oldsailor35]

I know precious little about the palm oil industry. I have studied the processing and for the life of me, I cannot work out why the fruit bunches get transported over such large distances when they could be at least expelled onsite and the waste recycled onsite or shipped closer with just the raw oil being shipped to the refinery.

Can anyone fill me in?

I doubt if growers want to invest in crushing plant with all the hassle that comes with it when there is a plant just down the road.

[Mosha]

@ oldsailor. 8 months for rubber! I wish 555 5 if you are lucky, that doesn't account for the rest days. 2 or 3 tapping 1 off.

[Rsquared]

My source is 25 years, but the main thing is to get started.

That's what I'm doing at the moment.......getting 600 saplings arriving wednesday, not sure which variety......but they are the same that our cousin has and his trees have started producing after 2 1/2 years after planting. His place is only 1 1/2 km away from where we will be planting so same climate .....plus we have irrigation from the local big dam so hopefully if we get things set up right.....cross fingers and enjoy the profits.

p.s. if I'm still here in 25 years I will be a very happy chappy.

Where are you? This is most important as PO requires a high rainfall. Anywhere north of Chumpon and you are doomed for failure.

Well thanks for the doomsday report.....I am in the Ratchaburi Province and there are many well established palm oil plantations around my area.

I have also installed irrigation to make up for the dry season, so I am pretty well covered as far as water goes.

Cheers.