Farming Ideas that never grew ...

[kickstart]

Dairy farming is one of the hardest jobs there is. The cows have to be milked and fed twice a day. Hope you have automated milking machines rather than a three legged stool.

The cows will come to you at milking time. They need to be milked to be comfortable, and they learn they get to eat while being milked. Nonetheless they have to be put out to pasture and watered and well fenced. They need quite a bit of vet service, which you learn to do yourself.

You have to immediately cool (refrigerate) the milk or you lose it.

You absolutely have to keep track of how much milk a cow gives. No sense feeding a cow that gives only half the milk the others do. It becomes 100% hamburger because the steaks and roasts aren't of the quality of a beef variety. Might be best to just sell the cow to someone who butchers.

You need a market for that milk or the milk products, and a refrigerated truck to deliver it. You need equipment to bottle it unless you are going to wholesale to someone with a refrigerated tanker. If you're going to make cheese and ice cream, you'll need a clean place with good refrigeration and washing equipment.

The list goes on. Marketing...

About powdered milk. Much of the milk sold in stores even in Western countries starts as powdered milk. Cows don't give milk year around so thid is the way to even out the supply. If you make your powedered milk and then refrigerate it for 24 hours, it will lose that chalky taste and taste like regular milk.

What you do is milk the cows ,leave the milk churns at the frount of your house ,within 1 hour or less a pick up or flat bed lorry will pick up the milk churns and take the the milk to center where it it is checked for antibiotics, and a bacteria test ,then it is cooled and put in to storage tanks,all this happens twice a day , AM/ PM. a lot of farmers take milk to the centers themselfs.

Milk is taken to the factory at night time mainly , less traffic/problems on the road, weather is a bit cooler ,all this helps to keep the milk in top quality.

Even in Thailand, the 3 legged stool was kiced in to toutch some years ago,used only to wash the cows and to milk the odd cow who has problems.

Mareting is done by the milk companys,ie Marley,Thai/Denmark, they are 3 milk centers around here who put milk into cartons ,for the school kids,Nom-Nuk-Reian.

Most Thai cows are reaed in a shead and are hand fed ,not many go out to grass,when there is grass to eat,mores the big pity.

Record keeping in Thailand not good, hardly anyone keep indervidal cow records on milk yield, mainly AI records.

Cull cows, never meet a Thai who eats hamburgers ,some end up on slab on your local market,now a lot are being exported to Vietnam.Steaks and roasts are manly imported beef , Thai /French in Yasorthon province and a similar set up in Supan will produce some good beef.

I could go on........

KS

,

[teletiger]

Here is a crop worthy of noting.

Stevia ...

Stevia is an all natural sweetener that is a popular food ingredient , enjoyed in many countries throughout the world.

Quick facts about stevia

• The Stevia Rebaudiana plant is part of the Chrysanthemum plant family .
• It is native to South and Central America, but is now grown in more than 20 countries throughout the world.
• The sweetness found in Stevia is attributed to steviol glycosides found in its leaves.
• Stevia is called “Ka’a He’e” (“Sweet herb”) in Guarani, the indigenous language of Paraguay and parts of Brazil
• Stevia is a natural sweetener which is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar

Here

Also ... The Sweet Solution ...

.

Here's a piece on the global economic cost of sugar, in terms of the sharp growth in health problems.....obesity, diabetes, being only the tip of the iceberg.

We'll wait for the response from the sugar lobby telling us of the health problems associated with Stevia.

Regards.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-25/sugar-sweet-bitter-economic-aftertaste

[namdocmai]

If you look at the price-difference between natural yoghurt and plain milk there mush be a good profit to make.

It is very easy to make yoghurt so why it has to cost more then double the price of milk?

Also cream and creambutter has a big big price difference while it is easy to make butter from cream.

Or paprika's who sell for 70 baht for 3 small ones.

If i was starting a farm i would go for tropical fruits that nobody has even seen in Thailand. As long as they are sweet the thai will buy them i guess.

[kickstart]

If you look at the price-difference between natural yoghurt and plain milk there mush be a good profit to make.

It is very easy to make yoghurt so why it has to cost more then double the price of milk?

Also cream and creambutter has a big big price difference while it is easy to make butter from cream.

Or paprika's who sell for 70 baht for 3 small ones.

If i was starting a farm i would go for tropical fruits that nobody has even seen in Thailand. As long as they are sweet the thai will buy them i guess.

The problem is this is Thailand, and Thai’s are very conservative over food, and take a lot of persuading to try any thing new, with yogurt and cream the milk factory’s have got to “tool up “ to make anything new, and that cost’s money .with a small market it has to cost more ,look at the price of Thai English newspapers compared to Thai ones. Small market high price

Same as peppers and tropical fruit you can grow them but is there a market? TV has many Q 's andA's on growing and producing many products, same thing comes up, is there a market. to sell

Yours Regs.

KS

[namdocmai]

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

[gone2]

i want to point out this online spread sheet that can be user/viewer edited hold previous edits and is original owner moderated, great for kicking around ideas http://www.editgrid.com/

looks likes it going down 1.may.2014 so maybe there are other similar if you need long term.

also copy and paste from local or upload from local if i recall.

[gone2]

for the too lazy

https://www.editgrid.com/site/login

login somchai

pass 12345

or see it going http://www.editgrid.com/user/somchai/rosewood_farming

seems to be a lot of traffic atm so stops and starts.

[kickstart]

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

[David48]

Here is the link to the Saffron thread.

It might, or might not take off ... but it's an interesting alternative.

[David48]

Nice thread for someone with a smaller plot, looking for something a little different to grow.

bought-8-rai-in-prachiniburi

We are in an area that grows some fruit and rice but most small farmers seem to be growing nursery stock for landscaping contractors

mostly hedging and ornimentals.

There is a road nearby which is lined with nurseries selling a huge range of shrubs and trees some 3mtrs+.

I've met two farangs whose wives are heavily involved in this business and seem to be doing well.Will post some more pictures later today.

.

[sugarcane24]

I am in Buriram province.

If you cannot find it; I can send you a cutting.

Hi soidog2 - I would love you to send me a vanilla cutting! Please send me an e-mail address so I can let you know my address: erwin @ hotmail dot co dot nz

Also let me know your address in the e-mail as I have some plants/seeds I can send you in return.

[namdocmai]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

Well my wife loves kiwi's and also buys them sometimes. They are not cheap though, the zespri gold.

Haha so you think no Thai can buy in Paragon? Mate have a look at the foodcourts/restaurants there in the weekend, totally loaded and also not cheap.

And you think the malls away from Siam are empty or loaded with tourists? Come one, go there yourself before writing nonsense. Go in the weekend and it takes you 30 minutes to get out of the mall with the car.

If i would grow something in Thailand and sell it then of course i would sell to the rich customers. And if they live in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin then i would try to sell it there. There are plenty rich Thai and they will pay much for food. Have a look at the seafood restaurants what they spend there.

Also growing melons in Thailand can be good business. The melons sold in Foodland are called japanese melons but i think they are grown in Thailand. They are sure not cheap and i think the farmer tries to keep quiet that he is in thailand so all customers think the melons are import from japan.

As soon as a produce is produced en masse then the big profit is gone. You have to look for new products and there are plenty to find if you look outside Thailand. I wonder why avocado's still are expensive in Thailand. It seems the Thai are not very interested in growing them except the Royal Project who grows great avocado's.

[Jotham79]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

Well my wife loves kiwi's and also buys them sometimes. They are not cheap though, the zespri gold.

Haha so you think no Thai can buy in Paragon? Mate have a look at the foodcourts/restaurants there in the weekend, totally loaded and also not cheap.

And you think the malls away from Siam are empty or loaded with tourists? Come one, go there yourself before writing nonsense. Go in the weekend and it takes you 30 minutes to get out of the mall with the car.

If i would grow something in Thailand and sell it then of course i would sell to the rich customers. And if they live in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin then i would try to sell it there. There are plenty rich Thai and they will pay much for food. Have a look at the seafood restaurants what they spend there.

Also growing melons in Thailand can be good business. The melons sold in Foodland are called japanese melons but i think they are grown in Thailand. They are sure not cheap and i think the farmer tries to keep quiet that he is in thailand so all customers think the melons are import from japan.

As soon as a produce is produced en masse then the big profit is gone. You have to look for new products and there are plenty to find if you look outside Thailand. I wonder why avocado's still are expensive in Thailand. It seems the Thai are not very interested in growing them except the Royal Project who grows great avocado's.

I agree with some of what you say. As soon as you are actually selling anything to anyone anywhere, I will be a lot more interested. It is easy to say "I could do this!" Not so easy when you have to actually do it. Obviously someone is selling a lot of high priced produce in certain places.....If you actually meet any of them, I'd love to hear what they have to say.

[cdmtdm]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

Well my wife loves kiwi's and also buys them sometimes. They are not cheap though, the zespri gold.

Haha so you think no Thai can buy in Paragon? Mate have a look at the foodcourts/restaurants there in the weekend, totally loaded and also not cheap.

And you think the malls away from Siam are empty or loaded with tourists? Come one, go there yourself before writing nonsense. Go in the weekend and it takes you 30 minutes to get out of the mall with the car.

If i would grow something in Thailand and sell it then of course i would sell to the rich customers. And if they live in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin then i would try to sell it there. There are plenty rich Thai and they will pay much for food. Have a look at the seafood restaurants what they spend there.

Also growing melons in Thailand can be good business. The melons sold in Foodland are called japanese melons but i think they are grown in Thailand. They are sure not cheap and i think the farmer tries to keep quiet that he is in thailand so all customers think the melons are import from japan.

As soon as a produce is produced en masse then the big profit is gone. You have to look for new products and there are plenty to find if you look outside Thailand. I wonder why avocado's still are expensive in Thailand. It seems the Thai are not very interested in growing them except the Royal Project who grows great avocado's.

yes i often wonder why the Isaan farmers where we are ,do not farm on the land when the rice is finished ...ok water is an issue for many farms, however a solar pump with drip irrigation could see these farms producing short term crops such as melons and pumpkins ... i come from the Ord River area where the growing season for melons is only 4 to 5 months each year ... it can be done here and i am looking into it as the setup costs are minimal imo ...

[Jotham79]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

Well my wife loves kiwi's and also buys them sometimes. They are not cheap though, the zespri gold.

Haha so you think no Thai can buy in Paragon? Mate have a look at the foodcourts/restaurants there in the weekend, totally loaded and also not cheap.

And you think the malls away from Siam are empty or loaded with tourists? Come one, go there yourself before writing nonsense. Go in the weekend and it takes you 30 minutes to get out of the mall with the car.

If i would grow something in Thailand and sell it then of course i would sell to the rich customers. And if they live in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin then i would try to sell it there. There are plenty rich Thai and they will pay much for food. Have a look at the seafood restaurants what they spend there.

Also growing melons in Thailand can be good business. The melons sold in Foodland are called japanese melons but i think they are grown in Thailand. They are sure not cheap and i think the farmer tries to keep quiet that he is in thailand so all customers think the melons are import from japan.

As soon as a produce is produced en masse then the big profit is gone. You have to look for new products and there are plenty to find if you look outside Thailand. I wonder why avocado's still are expensive in Thailand. It seems the Thai are not very interested in growing them except the Royal Project who grows great avocado's.

yes i often wonder why the Isaan farmers where we are ,do not farm on the land when the rice is finished ...ok water is an issue for many farms, however a solar pump with drip irrigation could see these farms producing short term crops such as melons and pumpkins ... i come from the Ord River area where the growing season for melons is only 4 to 5 months each year ... it can be done here and i am looking into it as the setup costs are minimal imo ...

As soon as you determine set up costs (I have had trouble getting numbers on solar), please post back and let us know what you found. I assume by set up costs you mean solar cells, batteries, associated components, irrigation equipment, and most important...a well. BTW, who would sleep with all of this equipment to see it is not stolen? Also, please post back when you have tried this out to let us know how well it works and what problems you found. Of course photos would be excellent.

[kickstart]

Ok NDM ,I was in the Uk two months ago at my local market they had chillies ,somo's, corander ,no pappya this time,all things , as you would expect, OK multicultural society, things change, so do peoples tates,I think the most popular dish in the Uk now is chicken tikka, 25 years ago you would not have seen any of the above. at many markets, and fish and chips ruled.

Go to any market in Thailand then, wind the clock back 25 years ,it could have been same the maket ,same fair,Thai's do not like changes, to conserative my misses eates the same thing every day,and has done for a lot of years, it's her way.

Yours wife likes Kiwi furit,good on her ,multiply that figure buy a few million, and a lot of farmers will take notice and grow kiwi furit,+plus other differant types of fruit, I still can not see it .

It sounds to ,and I think others that you are going for niche marketing,can be dodge,if it come off good on you that is , if the rich Thai's remain , rich OK ,but remember the world is littered with fagangs that have had good idears and it all goes pear shaped,( can you grow pears in LOS?).

By the way I have been to shoping centers in bkk and others places, seen lots of people going in and out,but do not seam to se a lot of people buying much,go to some of the upper flours,do not see many people buying anything,for a lot of Thai's it is a , by-teeow-do, only.

Jotham 79 has a good point.

As has been said countless times on TV you can produce allmost anything,but is they a market.

Yours KS

[cdmtdm]

J79 ....i actually have had numerous discussions with a Bkk based engineering firm who have made a stand alone kit ...includes solar panel , control box and sub pump , the intention they have is to supply these to the farmers on a payback scheme , so they will finance them into it , the farmer need only provide the bore hole and casing .... things like how to secure the repayments etc or theft i have no idea about ,,,, so we are not the only ones who see the farm land sitting idle for half the year .... in particular they are keen on farms close to Laos border ( nong khai) apparently a huge logistic centre for distributing fresh produce worldwide is about to be built close to the capital of Laos ....so the farms produce to a ready market ....

[Jotham79]

J79 ....i actually have had numerous discussions with a Bkk based engineering firm who have made a stand alone kit ...includes solar panel , control box and sub pump , the intention they have is to supply these to the farmers on a payback scheme , so they will finance them into it , the farmer need only provide the bore hole and casing .... things like how to secure the repayments etc or theft i have no idea about ,,,, so we are not the only ones who see the farm land sitting idle for half the year .... in particular they are keen on farms close to Laos border ( nong khai) apparently a huge logistic centre for distributing fresh produce worldwide is about to be built close to the capital of Laos ....so the farms produce to a ready market ....

The area up there is a little cooler and gets a little more rain in the dry season which makes it easier. We get produce from up there (melons and tomatoes). I don't know about worldwide, but they could certainly hit the middle east if they can maintain a steady supply (tough in the rainy season). I can see this happening with huge corporate farms, but I can't see one guy with a few rai doing much with solar and feeding produce through a center. What would be the cost and capacity of the stand alone kit?

[namdocmai]

Oh boy there we go again. Yes BKK is very poor, all those malls should be bankrupt allready because nobody buys the stuff there. Yes Thai are very poor and all those big Benzes and Lexus are all fake. You know what even all the Swiss brand watches in the mall are fake, that must be because nobody will ever be able to afford one.

You know why they always have sale in BKK? Yep because nobody bought the stuff because mai me tang krab.

Why do those ruby red pomelo's sell for 2-300 a piece? Because nobody has money, how could i forget. Why does Foodland sells apples for 2-300 baht a piece or strawberrie's for 300 a box. I can go on like this untill you beg me to stop but of course those fruits are never sold for that price.

I give up, if you don't believe in your business you should never start one and go work for a government. I don't want to waste my time here writing to people who know it all and claim there is no money in Thailand.

I admit i never sold anything in Thailand, i don't have a visa for that and also i prefer to make euro's in Europe so that's what i do. Make euro's fast and go back to Thailand to do nothing all day.

[David48]

Good link re growing the Vanilla Bean ...

Her is a link to the people doing it in the Daintree, north of Cairns QLD. http://www.daintreevanilla.com/ It takes a Looooooong time to produce the end product.

[drgoon]

I'm really enjoying this topic.

I'm new on the board, live near Chumphae and am looking at diversification for the wife's family.

Unlike a lot of dare I say it, YMCA, village people they are open to new ideas that the ting tong falang in their family has. They aren't just peasant farmers. The matriarch and I sit together often talking about increasing the family's prosperity and how that can be achieved for the upcoming generations.

[umbanda]

My wife's family owns a small dairy farm in Banta, 60 Km from Chiang Rai, and the area have many dairy farms because the Dairy Farm School was located there before moving to Bandu, by the Agricultural Shool, close to Chiang Rai Airport. Looks like few Banta farmers produced cheese in the past, but was not a good business, probably because Thai people do not use to like it, or was to expensive to do it right.

[umbanda]

I really believe that farming for exports may be a very good business in Thailand, if not already is. Many Thai products, vey cheap here, are very expensive in foreign countries, specially in Europe. I had the opportunity to meet few expats that becomes millionaires here in that business. One in particular, a German teachers that started a coconout oil factory in Hua Hin at 60, and now is a millionaire at 70.

Every time I see the very small and fancy bottles of cosmetic coconout oil selling for 150thb in some supermarkets here ...I remember him telling me that in France those are selling for $150 US.

[David48]

Just an excellent post from one of the members about growing Palm Oil ...

My wife has 91 Rai near to Suratthani.

You need good water supply (high rainfall)

23 to 25 trees per Rai.

Average yield per rai (ton).

1.9 to 2.2.tons. Trees over 4 yrs 2.45 tons. Begin cropping around 2 yrs

Price per ton varies, often daily, so you will have to look at the PO market price.

17 Rai average Bht100,000 per year

You need to be within reasonable distance of Pam Oil Mill.

Contractor cutters will cut and transport to mill at reasonable rates.

Best area for PO is from Chumpon south.

Best rainfall avg not less than 1800mm per year

Best avg sunlight 6 hrs daily

Days of drought preferably not more than 60 days

Very little in the way of pests, however Rats can be a nuisance as they chew the nuts.

Crop cut every 20 days, but my wife uses fertilizer so gets a crop every 15 days (many will not carry the extra expense, but in the long run it certainly pays)

Facts.

Rainfall........................Chumpon 2029mm

Krabi 1852mm

Surat Thani 1710mm

Prachup Kiri Khan 1160mm

Avg days of drought.

Prachup KK 195

Surat Thani 120

Krabi 90

Chumpon 82

Very good but expensive book.

"Growing Palm Oil"

By RHV Corley & PB Tinker.

ISBN. 0632052120.

It will tell you everything you need to know

7.8 acres = 20 Rai

[David48]

Growing 'white' asparagus.

Typically cut while it's underground (the photosynthesis process turns it green).

Just watched a program where the Farmer was growing them in dark plastic hot houses.

Apparently they are sweeter, nuttier, but you have to shave or peel the outside skin.

[David48]

Tree Farming - Focus on the Siam or Thai Rosewood

rosewood-asias-most-valuable-wood

.

[kieran2698]

it's not something I've ever personally considered but I remember reading a year or so back about a guy losing his Turkey farm to his Thai wife and it moade me wonder about Turkeys in Thailand. After asking several Thai friends who hadn't a clue what I was on about the would all finally say "Oh, big chicken!". I know when thanksgiving rolls around the places catering to expats sell them raw or prepared. Growing up in the US I was never a huge fan of Thankgiving turkey although I liked turkey sandwiches and while Thanksgiving was the big turkey season is was a year-round meat. Once people starting frying them my perception of the turkey was forever altered. I think fried turkey would be a hit here. Hell, I think fried anything works here. And there's already duck and chicken so someone could introduce the heaven that is Turducken to Thailand.

I've given a great deal of thought to raising turkeys and plan to do it in the future for personal consumption and possible commercial development. Every Thai person I've spoke to about it knows exactly what gai nguang (ไก่งวง) is. The older folks say they don't like it because it makes their stomach itch. Kind of silly because I don't think they've ever tried it but are just passing on an old wives tale. Most young people have never had it and have no opinion. Those that have eaten turkey think it's great.

I don't know if it's true but I've heard that chicken is a fairly new (100 Year??) introduction in Thailand and that at first people were reluctant to eat it (Anyone else ever hear that story?). It's everywhere now and thank goodness because the local beef is awful and the pork isn't much better. Aaaah, for a nice pork shoulder and a proper oven to roast it in...........someday..........someday.

Considering that the chickens you mostly will see in Thailand are the domesticated version of the wild red jungle fowl found native in thailand, I think it is probable that Thailand had been eating chicken for a very long time.

[kieran2698]

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I know many Thai that eat yoghurt and fresh new fruits. Look In Villa market what they all buy and even for a very high price. If the price was lower even more people would buy it.

Look in the beauty salons, even loads of men go there to get rid of their pimples from eating crap food. And those salons are not cheap.

I see loads of chances to sell the thai. Here in Bkk they are rich and want to have tall kids like a farang. Well eat healthy and drink healthy and sport and it will work.

Bkk is not the top end of Isan ,where income's are a lot lower ,same as a lot of Thailand ,Bkk people have more of a disposall income, I have been in the Paragon center in Siam squre ,the prices there make me look twice/shake my head,your average Thai could not affrod to buy anything there .same with a lot of markets /shops,

There is a lot more to Thailand than Bangkok .

Give my misses a Kiwi fruit she would try a bit ,being polite say it was OK ,but would prefer a mango,for certain.......as would a lot of Thai's.

Yours Regs

KS

Well my wife loves kiwi's and also buys them sometimes. They are not cheap though, the zespri gold.

Haha so you think no Thai can buy in Paragon? Mate have a look at the foodcourts/restaurants there in the weekend, totally loaded and also not cheap.

And you think the malls away from Siam are empty or loaded with tourists? Come one, go there yourself before writing nonsense. Go in the weekend and it takes you 30 minutes to get out of the mall with the car.

If i would grow something in Thailand and sell it then of course i would sell to the rich customers. And if they live in BKK or Pattaya or Hua Hin then i would try to sell it there. There are plenty rich Thai and they will pay much for food. Have a look at the seafood restaurants what they spend there.

Also growing melons in Thailand can be good business. The melons sold in Foodland are called japanese melons but i think they are grown in Thailand. They are sure not cheap and i think the farmer tries to keep quiet that he is in thailand so all customers think the melons are import from japan.

As soon as a produce is produced en masse then the big profit is gone. You have to look for new products and there are plenty to find if you look outside Thailand. I wonder why avocado's still are expensive in Thailand. It seems the Thai are not very interested in growing them except the Royal Project who grows great avocado's.

yes i often wonder why the Isaan farmers where we are ,do not farm on the land when the rice is finished ...ok water is an issue for many farms, however a solar pump with drip irrigation could see these farms producing short term crops such as melons and pumpkins ... i come from the Ord River area where the growing season for melons is only 4 to 5 months each year ... it can be done here and i am looking into it as the setup costs are minimal imo ...

Minimal? In comparison to what, obviously not the value of the rice crop. To provide solar irrigation and drip feed system to sane area as rice is grown would cost decades of profit.

By the way, our rice harvest is finished, the fields plowed and the tapioca is planted. Same all around here in Issan, seems to me to be the norm so I really don't know what you are talking about.

[David48]

Is tapioca a relatively big crop in Thailand?