Growing organic fruit & vegetables in Thailand

Organic farming in Thailand is not common

Being an organic farm in Thailand can be a challenging path to walk. Although the amount of produce that's organically grown here is rising, it is still considered to be on a small scale compared to the rest of the agricultural industry.

Thailand's national Plan for organic farming aims to increase organic farming to 1.3 million rai by 2021.

40% of its organic produce is to be reserved for domestic consumption.

Chemical use in Thailand agriculture

The non-profit agency, Thailand Pesticide Alert Network, reported that almost 64% of Thailand's produce exceeds its Maximum Residue Level (MRL) & therefore should be deemed unsafe for human consumption!

Our Thai farm is 100% organic

We are proud to say that all of Porpeang farm's produce is now 100% organically grown.

It is often more labour-intensive than using chemical alternatives, but the taste & health benefits far outweigh the extra effort in our opinion.

Choosing to farm organically promotes regenerative farming practices rather than degenerative often seen in modern agricultural. Topsoil depletion is at a global all-time high & something all farmers should be aware of & help to reverse.

Natural pest control sprays

On our farm, we only use natural ingredients for controlling bugs. These include garlic, chillies, cooking oil & soap for bug control. Application is straightforward but usually has to be carried out more frequently than when using chemical alternatives.

Organic fertilizer

Our poultry & goats provide us with a plentiful supply of manure for plant food.

Poultry manures are classed as hot manures which require composting before applying to the land (this prevents burning plants from the high levels of nitrogen.) Our goats produce cool manure which can be added directly onto the land without the risk of burning the plants.

Soil amendment

We produce a huge amount of our own Biochar on the farm. This is done in deep cone pits dug by hand & fuelled by fallen timbers & wood leftover after feeding the goats. We activate/charge all our Biochar before introducing it as a much-needed soil amendment. Biochar helps to improve water quality, reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, reduces nutrient leaching, reduces soil acidity, & reduces irrigation & fertilizer requirements.

Worm castings & worm leachate

Our vermicomposting system provides a natural source of nutrients for plants. This comes in the form of casting & worm tea.

Worm castings contain minerals like concentrated nitrates, magnesium, potassium, calcium, & phosphorus. Worm castings are a 100% organic fertilizer that increases a plant yields, protects the soil & plants from diseases, & helps the soil to retain moisture.

The main crops produced on the farm are:

Bamboo
Palm-nut oil
Eucalyptus
Moringa
Galangal
Mango
Guava
Papaya
Banana
Lime
Aloe vera
Garlic chive
Beijing grass
Kaffir lime leaf