Thread: Anyone growing organic rice?

Trying to get wife to leave land alone for a 3 years to start growing organic rice, has anyone got experience in the field.?

have been trying to advise her even if she not do organic let the land be fertilised by modern methods, and not burn back as they do around here.

if anyone knows of any thai websites with info appreciated.

Try Thai Google, Jack.
There is a wealth of Thai associations/organisations that promote organic subsistence.

Please, don't ask me to provide links hither and dither.
Easier to search for your self.
Helps extensively if you are searching in Thai language.

Never mind.

Originally Posted by Yasojack

organic rice, has anyone got experience in the field.?

Use piss and ash instead of roundup and charge double.

RS there was me thinking you were thai

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

Try Thai Google, Jack.
There is a wealth of Thai associations/organisations that promote organic subsistence.

Please, don't ask me to provide links hither and dither.
Easier to search for your self.
Helps extensively if you are searching in Thai language.

Never mind.

Why does rice have to be so tiny?...Potatoes are easy to eat...Why don't you try to grow some as big as spuds, Yasojack?...

OK will do but you have to be the researcher and development manager.

I not have anything to do with the rice, i just eat it and have found since her father passed away the rice has gone to pot.

They used to hand sow and cut by hand, though she not have the time now.


Hate to say this i just told a real big porky pie to wife.

Told her a American in Ubon has 100 rai and he does organic rice, and makes a lot of money from it, and has told me how to help the land become fertile, whoa and behold she listened especially when i told her she can make a lot more money from it.

Though saying that i told her the same, and got told i not know about rice.

Go to a Ministry of Agriculture development office in Yaso. Lot's of help and info regarding organic farming to be had. May not be one in backassward Yaso but nearby Roiet has several.

Inside Thailand -- Government to Give a Major Boost to Thai Organic Agriculture

Been there and mahachanachai, there still in the 19th century thinking.

Have to take a trip to that big temple near Roi-et may well go and have a chat with them.

thanks for the link

^I will come "pick" rice for you when you can figure out how to grow some "decent-sized fruit"...Like the size of an apple...Could be a big hit, too...


Actually, the shape would probably conform to that of a cucumber...

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Been there and mahachanachai, there still in the 19th century thinking.

Have to take a trip to that big temple near Roi-et may well go and have a chat with them.

thanks for the link

19th century agriculture was largely "organic".

Hello Yasojack,

During thr rainy season 2013 we had our first organic rice crop (sticky rice). Land was fallow for 2 years and we really had a bumper crop without any chemicals. We did not even use organic fertilizer. Now we use the land for corn and sunflower and we hope to feed our free range chicken with this.

I have now prepared a lot of carbonized rice husk and compost. After the harvest of the sunflower and corn we will give the land some rest and at the beginning of the rainy season we will put the compost and CRH.

This year we plan to plant Jasmine instead of sticky rice and that seems be be far more difficult. It seems to attract more diseases and pest so it will be interesting to see if and how we can control it. Will also plant Paw San variety. Brought some paddy from Burma.

In general pests are not a problem in growing rice in Thailand. It is the fertilizer. We are close to Chiang Mai on clay so it is rich soil but Isaan?

There are many certified organic projects in Thailand that supply organic Jasmine to the world market. I checked out a number of them and they were genuine organic. Every year we import container loads of the product to Europe and the USA. There are a number of projects close to Yasothon.

Broadcasting rice in an organic system might not work. We do nursery and transplanting. This way you can space the plants properly.

Check the web. There are many organic rice projects in Thailand. Some certified by ACT (Thai) and some by international certifying bodies. Pls note that ACT is very strict. If they say it is organic it really might be. ACT is linked with Green net a hardcore organic movement in Thailand.

Good luck

R'tje

Thanks R'tje

interesting read.

I not think wife is ready to try anything new just yet.

we recently cut euca and suggested she could take all the leaves etc and start to compost her land, she listened and then decided to put all on her land and have burn back.

Just out of interest how much per tonne are you getting for organic rice.?

You boys are not talking about that stuff that grows between ya toes in the wet season are you? Then I have little knowledge.

Organic farming is difficult in Thailand unless you have own water supply no matter how careful you are with you land the farmer next to you is not you can avoid spraying and chemicals but when the farmer on the land next to yours has finished his fields he will return excess water to the klong with all the chemicals you so carefully avoid.
so when you put water into your paddy field you are adding all their chemicals to your field
This happens for the company that my wife works for exporting coconuts water to USA hard to find organic farm they all stopped spraying and using chemicals long time ago but never pass testing because they use klong water for irrigation

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Thanks R'tje

interesting read.

I not think wife is ready to try anything new just yet.

we recently cut euca and suggested she could take all the leaves etc and start to compost her land, she listened and then decided to put all on her land and have burn back.

Just out of interest how much per tonne are you getting for organic rice.?

Hello Yasojack,

I work as project manager for a western company and "run" our SE Asian organic projects. The farm is a hobby and a testing ground for new ideas. My wife and I (although I'm traveling a lot) so my wife and a Burmese family run the farm. The rice is for our own consumption. You might imagine how much sticky rice 3 adults and a kid can eat!!
Forget making money in Thailand with organic rice. Many try it with little success. My company buys 100 ton of organic Thai Jasmine rice per year but most of our rice we buy in India (Basmati). I'm trying to start export of Paw San from Burma.

I doubt that you can compost Euca leaves, too much oils. It will kill the micro's that do the composting.

Good luck

R'tje

Thanks for the reply.

I was under the impression the Thai govt were promoting organic production now, and the price was a lot better?

Originally Posted by repesteeltje

Originally Posted by Yasojack

Thanks R'tje

interesting read.

I not think wife is ready to try anything new just yet.

we recently cut euca and suggested she could take all the leaves etc and start to compost her land, she listened and then decided to put all on her land and have burn back.

Just out of interest how much per tonne are you getting for organic rice.?

Hello Yasojack,

I work as project manager for a western company and "run" our SE Asian organic projects. The farm is a hobby and a testing ground for new ideas. My wife and I (although I'm traveling a lot) so my wife and a Burmese family run the farm. The rice is for our own consumption. You might imagine how much sticky rice 3 adults and a kid can eat!!
Forget making money in Thailand with organic rice. Many try it with little success. My company buys 100 ton of organic Thai Jasmine rice per year but most of our rice we buy in India (Basmati). I'm trying to start export of Paw San from Burma.

I doubt that you can compost Euca leaves, too much oils. It will kill the micro's that do the composting.

Good luck

R'tje

CSA Munching Box can help you out, they have farms in Isaan

Hi, new member here! Read about this group in BKK Post, they link organic rice farmers direct to conscientious consumers in cities to cut out the middle man.

pookpintokao search for them on Google or Facebook. I'm too new to post a link :-)

Check it out, could get you better prices for your crop

is this the one?

Bangkokpost.com

Originally Posted by poorfalang

i did riceberry last year, only pig shite as fertilizer,
Problem in the sticks they only eat sticky rice, still have a few bags left,
will do a bit more this year but just for consumption.
would not bother doing sticky rice the organic way.
by the way has anyone had it? Riceberry i mean,

Hello Poorfalang,

Were did you get the sowing material for the riceberry. I would love to grow it.

Thanks

R'tje

got it from some large farmer somewhere near chiang rai,

will look for the contact and send it to you in the next couple of days