Sugar-cane farmers must consider whether the way to have 10-times higher income is by increasing investment by a factor of four or five or leaving their faith in the environment.

Wangkanai Group, one of the country’s leading sugar producers, and the Office of Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB), have joined hands to increase sugar-cane yield. The firm came out with the highest recorded yield of 85.06 tonnes a rai at a demonstration plant in Suphan Buri.

Last Friday, the two partners took a group of reporters to see their demonstration area in the province. They hope to reach a yield of 100 tonnes. Normally, traditional farming yields 15 tonnes per rai.

The investment to achieve high yield production is four to five times higher than normal, but income is expected to increase by 10 times. Average yield of sugar cane in Thailand is between 10 and 11 tonnes per rai. Some of the biggest growers and exporters such as Brazil and India average about 15 tonnes a rai.

The most efficient Thai farmers have yields of 30 tonnes per rai.

Tip Rotjanakit, senior director (production) of Wangkanai, said the firm had invested about Bt40,000-Bt50,000 a rai to achieve the higher yield.

“Return on investment jumped 10 times with the higher production. Sales for this plantation |area could reach Bt80,000 to Bt90,000 per rai,” said Tip.

The is part of the company and the OCSB’s plan to increase farmers’ incomes as well as reduce the risk of lower cane production due to climate change.

Normally, investment is Bt5 000-Bt6,000 a rai, from which farmers obtain Bt10,000-Bt11,000 a rai. The price of sugar cane in 2009/2010 has been quoted at Bt980 a tonne for farmers.

Sugar cane produced in the pilot project has been 4 metres high, compared with the usual 2 metres.

There are five major factors in increase sugar-cane yield: preparing quality soil; selecting cane breeds; using organic fertiliser; ensuring sufficient water supply; and sun bathing.

The breed of this cane is selected from a current strain called LK9211. This breed has produced a good weight of cane, is very sweet and is disease-resistant.

Tip said that the firm is also encouraging farmers to use organic fertiliser due to concerns over the global chemical market.

Prasert Tapaneeyangkul, secretary-general of the OCSB, said the initiative would create sustainable income for farmers.

However, there is more to do, including turning the demonstration site into a real plantation, and increasing financial support for farmers as the process requires much investment capital.

The company’s survey found that Thai sugar-cane growers lack financial support. Thailand has about 200,000 sugar-cane farming households. The crop’s growing period is eight to 10 months.

Ard Somrang, director-general of the Land Development Department, said farmers should not worry about surpluses, as growing energy-savings awareness has increased demand for fuel crops, of which sugar cane is a key raw material.

“The sugar-cane business has a bright future, as demand has increased considerably following rising oil prices,” he said.

Sa-ngun Intachote, a sugar-cane farmer in U Thong district, Suphan Buri, said the pilot project was very interesting. However, he doubted farmers would be able to grow as much as they wanted to, saying they farmers lack financial support, unlike the company.

Source: The Nation

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