The Final Day
We kicked our third and final day off with an early meeting at a sugar mill in Chaiyaphum. It was a bumpy journey there, with the road under construction, but we made good time.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by Khun Kai, the Head of the Cane Department. Our meeting was very productive. We spent time in the cane fields surrounding the mill and learnt that more cane should be planted in 2022/23.
After this, we hit the road for a further 50 minutes to meet with another cassava starch factory. As was the case with the other factories we’ve visited, they were intrigued to hear about the various services we offer, and all went very well.
After a quick lunch break and refuel, we pressed on to meet with Khun Suradech, one of the prominent cane farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Khun Suradech was keen to tell us about the tricky financial situation the region’s farmers have been facing in recent seasons.
After experimenting with cassava, corn, rubber tree, and more, he decided that cane was the most reliable crop for him.
With the help and support the mills offer, he seemed happy to stick with cane going forward, especially with this year’s high cane prices.
We also met with one of the farm’s Agricultural Extensionists, which offer helpful advice to the farmers in the area.
He also told us that the cane had performed very well this year and he thinks the area will increase in 2022/23.
We were all in agreement that the upcoming season could just be extremely positive for the Thai cane industry.
After this, we drove back to Bangkok, ensuring we were COVID free before reuniting with our loved ones.
We’re therefore at the end of our trip. We drove 20 hours in total and covered just shy of 1,100km. We’ll share a more in-depth account of our findings in the coming weeks, and we hope to visit the Upper Northeast in early 2022, so stay tuned for that!
Other Insights That May Be of Interest…
Our Thai Road Trip: Cane, Cassava and Car Trouble
Our Thai Road Trip: Cane and Cassava in Close Competition
The First Week of Our Thai Cane Tour (In Pictures)
The Second Week of Our Thai Cane Tour (In Pictures)
Our Colombian Road Trip (In Pictures)
