Thread: Coconut husks needed

Anyone know were to get a very large supply of husk shredded and split. need in roi et

No I dont, but I am interested to know what are you going to use it for ?

for planting vanilla. will be mixing with rice husk and cow poop and composting for planting beds

used a lot around here as flowerbed and garden mulch, looks nice as well,

i know they have it here i am just look to not have to buy by the bag hopefully can cut down on cost. and were are you located

Vanilla needs coconut husks not rice.

AP think you will be paying for shredded coconut husks, that's potting mix really.
Try looking around some of the food stalls, some use coconut husks for burning. Have to say only been up your way once and didn't see a lot of coconut trees.
Plenty round here and the local kids will collect them for 1 or 2 Baht each. Jim

^ At that price Sopa just sends the monkeyman away. Not worth the effort of waiting for them.

Originally Posted by Mosha

^ At that price Sopa just sends the monkeyman away. Not worth the effort of waiting for them.

There in no coconut business out here, if a local wants one for milk or meat they just get a big stick and knock some out of a small tree. The rest just fall to the ground to rot, no one wants them. Jim

watched a guy cut those husks and he had a big pile
but i can't be 100% sure where it was
i think it was in Kalasin.

I am actually going to be using coconut husks almost whole and the shredded as well and rice husks and cow poop. I talked to a New Zealander who owns one of the best farms in tonga and he said any cellulose matter will be good as planting beds and the half husks are for making tower that the vanilla will climb. Have to soak all a few days in water to pull any impurities and then mix the shredded husk and rice husks with the cow poop to compost a little before using

I have a Question are all of you watching to see how this all turns out?..my vanilla farm that is. When i start building i will be posting pictures and commentary for all to follow. i just hope i dont lose my... well you know. This could turn into a 5 year thread when started

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

for planting vanilla. will be mixing with rice husk and cow poop and composting for planting beds

Does vanilla grow here? Is it easy to cultivate? I'd love to have some in the back garden.

I did a quick Google search for cocount shells for you. There are a few people selling here but most don't say where they are. Sadly those that do aren't anywhere near Roi Et (I saw Samut Prakarn and Hat Yai). Prices seem to be 1.5 - 2 baht/kilo. If you can write Thai (or can get someone who can), it's worth spending some time on the net.

yes it will grow anywhere south of 20 degrees of the equator. Needs alot of shade if you have in garden will grow but will climb to the top of tree it grows on if not trained

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

I have a Question are all of you watching to see how this all turns out?..my vanilla farm that is. When i start building i will be posting pictures and commentary for all to follow. i just hope i dont lose my... well you know. This could turn into a 5 year thread when started

I and AI are more interested in if you can get some sort of guaranteed market. Have fruit trees spread about, when they fruit it's left to rot, no market for the amounts, buyers want 20 ton truck loads not pick up truck loads. Jim

Where I used to live in Australia a common opening remark was "If I was you...." In this case go to the nearest plant nursery and get the contact details for whoever supplys them with their coco fibre. Buy bags of the nursery to start and make contact direct with the supplier if it isnt to your needs. No point reinventing the wheel for a start up enterprise. As Jim said, get serious and talk about volume and different particle size requirements and we get interested. Have hammermill and coconuts that us!

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

yes it will grow anywhere south of 20 degrees of the equator. Needs alot of shade if you have in garden will grow but will climb to the top of tree it grows on if not trained

Doesn't vanilla outside Central America need hand pollinating?

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

for planting vanilla. will be mixing with rice husk and cow poop and composting for planting beds

Does vanilla grow here? Is it easy to cultivate? I'd love to have some in the back garden.

I did a quick Google search for cocount shells for you. There are a few people selling here but most don't say where they are. Sadly those that do aren't anywhere near Roi Et (I saw Samut Prakarn and Hat Yai). Prices seem to be 1.5 - 2 baht/kilo. If you can write Thai (or can get someone who can), it's worth spending some time on the net.

It's a type of orchid, Thailand is well suited to growing it.



As AI said, get some numbers on volume, one grower may not produce enough to bring the international buyers, but 10 may do.
There is a tobacco buyer up your way, yank, by the name of Paul, if I remember correctly. His G/F runs the 101 something bar by the lake. May be worth having a beer with him and a chat about exporting. Get him early though. Jim

Originally Posted by Mosha

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

yes it will grow anywhere south of 20 degrees of the equator. Needs alot of shade if you have in garden will grow but will climb to the top of tree it grows on if not trained

Doesn't vanilla outside Central America need hand pollinating?

Yes, labor intense, but well profitable if you can find the buyers. You could have a gold mine, but if the locals deal in shellfish, not worth much, unless you can get it to someone who wants gold. Jim

"With great risk comes great reward" who said that? where you guaranteed a life when you came here and started your life? just a thought. If you want a guarantee thats 100,000 usd.. sorry if harsh whiskey talking jack but keep it real.

Originally Posted by afghanpicker

"With great risk comes great reward" who said that? where you guaranteed a life when you came here and started your life? just a thought. If you want a guarantee thats 100,000 usd.. sorry if harsh whiskey talking jack but keep it real.

AP follow your dream, you may start a new industry here, but I do rubber and there are more buyers around here than you can shake a stick at. Now if I had a 1,000 kilos of vanilla today, where would I be able to sell it tomorrow.
If I knew I had a buyer I would plant, seen this with the Agra wood thing, can't lose, big bucks and then when harvesting, no market. As said the buyers won't come for small amounts.
Best of luck all around and keep us informed, may be when you get set up, host an Issan farmers meeting, I and others would be interested to come and look. Jim

You build it they will come..

This is a product you can produce and sell start to finish

kind of like these guys they grow and sell 1.6 ton a yr

Heilala | Heilala Vanilla Limited

interesting! What type of vanilla are you going to grow and where do you source the seeds or plants.....seems there are lots?

Maybe you could consider value add by producing extract...does not look that hard but using all that good booze may be a bit depressing.

good luck..

I am going to grow V. Planifolia which is the major commercial vanilla.

It is grown from cutting which is sourced from other grower most expensive part of start up.

And yes will start with just beans first but am looking at extract and sugar and soap paste. Hopefully tea from thailand and maybe coffee. all vanilla flavored.