Longan production in Kalasin

[Drifter88]

Hi all,

I have been living in Kalasin for 3 years and have finally decided to invest in my gf's farm of 60 odd rai. I have been thinking of growing Longan and lemons as the business model looks good. I have surveyed the land myself and currently have kalasin agriculture department testing to see where on the plot is most suitable. Does anyone here have any experience growing Longan, I'm particularly concerned whether the cool season is cool and long enough for Longan to bloom well and subsequently procure a good harvest (150 kg/yr for 15 year old tree). My lady's land has recently had electric and paved access road installed and has planning permission for a house. I would also like to set up an irrigation system, does anyone know of a good supplier? I'm 26 years old and would like to meet some farangs in the area as it can be a bit lonely at times! I like to go fishing at lam pao, last month I caught a 20kg catfish and 7 kg giant snakehead. I was out on a canoe and from a distance saw a monster jump out of the water (in the north eastern end of the reservoir) it looked the size of a buffalo so am determined to go back and hook something big although it will be difficult when I return as the wind starts to blow! Anyone willing to share/ discuss good fishing marks in the region?

[Issangeorge]

Is longan lumyai? If so we have one lumyai tree on our house property, I think it was planted ten years ago, and this past year was the first time I remember getting fruit from it, but there was a lot. We did have a prolonged cold season last year, I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. The problem I see with lumyai, is the marketing of it, make sure you have someone who will buy it. When it is a good season locally, everyone has lots, so you need to sell to someone, who has national distribution.

[Drifter88]

Yes it is lumyai in Thai. It is popular with the Chinese and as I understand it distributors will travel from BKK if you have enough...what else are good crops, I was also thinking of growing lemons?

[Issangeorge]

Do you mean western style large yellow lemons, or the Thai small green, almost like line lemons. If the former, no one seems to grow them, so I would think if you could create a market, you would have it to yourself, until everyone else started to do it. I know most posters don't like them, and I know very little about them, but commonsense tells me that there is going to be a shortage of eucalyptus trees, and thus the price will rise. The reason I say that is starting about three years ago people started to pull their eucalyptus crop out and started to plant sugar cane or rubber. I haven't seen any new eucalyptus trees being planted for about 3 or 4 years now. There are still pulp mills that depend on eucalyptus for their feed stock, so what are they going to do. Just the simple laws of economics suggests the price will rise. Eucalyptus is easy, plant it add some fertilizer and wait. In my area, I have seen people getting a new crop every 3 and a half to 4 years, and others not getting one to about seven. Remember with eucalyptus, if you aren't depended on the income, and the price is low, you can just let it grow until the price rises. Don't plant all your land with the same crop, maybe some lemon, some lumyai, some eucalyptus, and maybe about ten rai in market garden, if you have all year water and can supply the crops when no one else can, there us a lot of money in market garden crops. There is also a lot of work, but that shouldn't bother a young 26 year old.

[gerry123]

Do you mean western style large yellow lemons, or the Thai small green, almost like line lemons. If the former, no one seems to grow them, so I would think if you could create a market, you would have it to yourself, until everyone else started to do it. I know most posters don't like them, and I know very little about them, but commonsense tells me that there is going to be a shortage of eucalyptus trees, and thus the price will rise. The reason I say that is starting about three years ago people started to pull their eucalyptus crop out and started to plant sugar cane or rubber. I haven't seen any new eucalyptus trees being planted for about 3 or 4 years now. There are still pulp mills that depend on eucalyptus for their feed stock, so what are they going to do. Just the simple laws of economics suggests the price will rise. Eucalyptus is easy, plant it add some fertilizer and wait. In my area, I have seen people getting a new crop every 3 and a half to 4 years, and others not getting one to about seven. Remember with eucalyptus, if you aren't depended on the income, and the price is low, you can just let it grow until the price rises. Don't plant all your land with the same crop, maybe some lemon, some lumyai, some eucalyptus, and maybe about ten rai in market garden, if you have all year water and can supply the crops when no one else can, there us a lot of money in market garden crops. There is also a lot of work, but that shouldn't bother a young 26 year old.

one of the other reasons eucalyptus has been lately unpopular apart from over supply is that it strips the ground of natural nutrients and leaves the soil very acidic for many years so very difficult to plant follow on crop of any sort i think it also leaches into adjoining land this of course was only discovered after several years of growing

[Drifter88]

I meant the Thai lemon (little green ones) they are easy to sell. And that's the trick, grow what sells. We currently have rice, sticky rice, beans, bananas, papaya, melon, and ตะกรู which is promoted by the agricultural dep. in replacement for teak and don't need a license for. We also grow various garden produce from time to time, but I work offshore so my partner has to do most of the work. I want to grow an orchard perhaps 15 rai of lumyai and mango etc (gradually planting trees at different ages) and 5 rai of lemon. We currently grow a lot of rice and want to diversify and utilise some of the land to try and generating more income....but carefully weighing up the risks first. I think you are right as I have noticed many Eucalyptus trees being felled. However I will not grow it as it ruins the soil making it very salty and after a while is good for nothing else. I was warned by a family friend who used to work as an agricultural adviser to Thailand not to grow it. The Chinese in my area grow it specifically to accumulate land by ruining the soil so that the farm next door cannot grow anything and are then forced into selling....this may also be why people are getting rid of it! ตะกรู (only know thai name) is a better option and grows dense and is solid wood, I will build a house with our trees in the next 5-7 years.

[Drifter88]

We are also have pond in which I released 2000 red tail catfish which are getting big now. I would however like to get a greater variety of fish particularly the Giant Siamese carp. I have put my name down on the waiting list to receive some but it is taking ages as they have to bring them from fisheries in chiang mai when they have surplus to demand. Is there any local fisheries in Kalasin, Khon Kaen etc that can supply some more unusual specimens?...I shall at some point put this as a separate post.....

[JLCrab]

See this topic where I posted info and pictures on the fish hatchery in Khon Kaen:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/680695-buying-fry/

[Issangeorge]

There is a hatchery near the Rim Pao Dam on the Kalasin City side of the dam. I don't know what varieties of fish they have.