# Pomelo or mango orchard



## jvi (3 mo ago)

Hello,

I am a researcher from Belgium working with Kasetsart University, Bangkok. We are looking to find orchards to work on, so for exploring any and all options, perhaps we can find an orchard through this forum.

We are particularly interested in organic orchards as we work on integrated pest management: we use the Asian weaver ant _Oecophylla smaragdina_ (mod daeng in Thai) against honeydew-producing insects (aphids, mealybugs, psyllids, and the like) that are protected by the ants and who can eventually destroy all flowers. We place bottles with sugar water and with diluted sugarcane molasses (a syrup) in the trees and monitor ant activity and crop yields until September 2024. These sugar sources can redirect the attention of the ants and away from those honeydew-producing insects.

As in the north and northeast the large queen larvae and pupae (khai mod daeng in Thai) are a culturally valued food, we also monitor the production of these larvae and pupae (this is thus for some people an organic dual-production system of both fruit and queen larvae and pupae).

We favour to work in the (relative) vicinity of Bangkok such as Nakhon Pathom, Chanthaburi, Samut Songkhram, Chonburi, Nakhon Nayok, etcetera. This is for practical reasons as my Thai research partners are located in Bangkok. The northeast is probably a better option such as Khon Kaen, Kalasin, etcetera.

Thanks for reading and any tips on orchards that might want to work with us will be highly appreciated.

Best regards,

Joost


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

I get the strong feeling that the majority of expats who frequent the forum are city dwellers. You might be lucky, but not many expats hang around orchards unless you happen across one who lives near one - or is willing to ask someone at the local market where they source their fruit from to perhaps get a lead.

That said, I suspect you might have more luck contacting Dept of Agriculture (กรมวิชาการเกษตร), the Agriculture Research Development Agency ( สำนักงานพัฒนาการวิจัยการเกษตร ) or similar government / public agencies in Thailand.

I would presume your contacts at Kasetsart will have points of contact if you do not.


----------



## jvi (3 mo ago)

Thank you. We do have those Thai authority contacts but my Thai research partner is a bit slow. I try as many channels as I can get my hands on, hence my post here on this forum. Thank you for your time responding.


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

Might not be your research partner... government agencies around the globe operate on their own schedule. Thailand is no different.

ใจเย็น ๆ มันจะเกิดขึ้น สิ่งต่าง ๆ ต้องใช้เวลา

Especially in Thailand.


----------

