Agriculture in Thailand

Agriculture is an important economic sector of any country. Thailand experiences a tropical climate which is good for agriculture. There is a lot of farming in this country due to high humidity, fertile farms, and an annual average temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Thailand has three seasons; the cool season is experienced between November and February, the hot season starts in March and ends in May while the rainy season starts from early June and ends in October. The tropical climate in this country allows farmers to grow various types of crops including vegetables and deciduous fruits.

Fruit farming in Thailand

Farmers in Thailand grow a wide variety of tropical fruits in the highland areas. Most fruits are grown in the northern part of the country due to a large forest cover which leads to a lot of rainfall and high humidity. Initially, the hill tribes that live in the region focused on subsistence farming which was not profitable. Population increase caused massive deforestation in the area which led to floods and soil erosion during wet seasons.

Deciduous fruits were introduced in the area to help the communities to generate a steady income and reduce the need for clearing large tracts of forests to get more land for agriculture. Most of the fruits grown in this country are exotic but they thrive well in different parts of the country. Some deciduous fruits that are grown in the area include Asian pear, Persimmon, Japanese Plum, Japanese Apricot, Peach, and Nectarine among others. Many people love the fruits since most of them are Non-GMO and fewer chemical farm inputs are used to grow them.

Vegetable farming in Thailand

Vegetables contain minerals and nutrients which are important in the human body. There is a high demand for vegetables in Thailand and other countries in S.E Asia. Most countries in this region are populous and they provide a ready market for vegetables thus making horticulture to be highly profitable.

Vegetables are usually intercropped with deciduous trees in northern Thailand. Different varieties of vegetables can successfully grow between deciduous fruits without any significant reduction in the yields. Intercropping enables people living in highland areas to generate a steady income through the year since the fruits are harvested seasonally. It has also reduced shift cultivation where farmers abandoned infertile lands and cleared more tracts of the forest for new fields.

Some farmers have greenhouses that enable them to grow vegetables throughout the year. Greenhouses ensure food security in the country and they stabilize the prices of vegetables in the market. Most greenhouses get water from nearby rivers or dams and most farmers focus on organic farming since it is more profitable. Some of the vegetables that are grown in greenhouses include tomatoes, spinach, kales, cucumber, and cauliflower.

Conclusion

Agriculture plays an important role in Thailand’s economy since it boosts the country’s exports. The country experiences a tropical climate that favors the growth of vegetables and fruits. Most farmers plant these crops since they are on-demand on both international and local markets. Most deciduous fruits are grown in the northern part of Thailand due to the high rainfall in the region. Fruits provide a steady income to hill tribes and reduce deforestation in the highlands. Most vegetables are intercropped with deciduous fruits to maximize the use of land in the highlands. Farmers with small farms focus on horticulture and they plant vegetables in greenhouses all year round.