The average income per year in Ban Dung was 50,173 baht per person per year (less than 140baht a day) in 2009  with the majority of people being farmers . The major crop grown is rice with 271,213 rai being cultivated by 13,708 people out of a total farming area of 322,991 rai . There was also 20,462 rai of rubber under cultivation. Other crops included maize,cassava.eucalyptus,sugar cane and various fruit & vegatables. Other farming activities inclued the rearing of Buffalo,Cattle,Pigs and chickens with a small number of people raising fish in cages but the majority just fishing in canals or pools.

Summary of Crops Grown

Crop	Number of Rai	Number of Farms
Rice	271,213	13708
Cassava	2,537	219
Maize	1	1
Fruit	5,712
Flowers	72
Rubber	20,462
Perenials	1,7913
Veg	1,904
Other	37,767

 

Summary of Animals Reared

Animal	Number	Farms
Cattle	13,098	1,621
Pigs	3,070	48
Chicken	85,540	6,921
Buffalo	7854	1135
Muscovy	22,689	1,826

 

Eucalyptus Trees

Eucalyptus farming at the plantation scale started between 1976-77 by state and state enterprise’s  plantation units in the northeast region, Khon Kaen and Kalasin Provinces. A few years later this was followed by farmers in the private sector.

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Recently, eucalyptus planting has increased quite substantially both by the state and the private sectors. This is due to the fact that  Eucalyptus are relatively easy to establish, provided they are given the right start, and the right species are used at the right site. Survival and growth rate is good. The long experience of growing eucalyptus has shown no proof of a negative effect on soils, environment, humans and wild life. The controversies on the negative effects of eucalyptus are gradually fading out due to provable facts. It is now quite accepted by the public that eucalyptus plantations can improve the farmer’s income and raise their living standards.

There are several markets for eucalyptus wood these include :

Energy and fuel

Pulp and paper – At present there are five eucalyptus wood chip factories: one in the northeast (Surin Province), two at the central (Chacheongchoa Province) and two in the southeast (Cholburi Province). The major markets for these five wood chip factories are Japan and Taiwan. There are two pulp and paper mills, mainly using eucalypt as the raw material, one at Khon Kaen Province (Phoenix Pulp Co.) and the other at Kanjanaburi Province (Siam Kraft).

Piling and poles – Piling and pole demand is another big market for eucalyptus in Thailand.

Furniture and housing

Kadam – Tagu – Tagoo

The Kadam tree grows up to 45 m high. The trunk has a diameter of 100-160 cm, but typically less than that. Leaves are 13-32 cm long. Flowering usually begins when the tree is 4–5 years old. Kadam flowers are red to orange, occurring in dense, globe-like heads of approximately 55 cm. The fruit of N. cadamba occur in small, fleshy capsules packed closely together to form a fleshy yellow-orange infructescence containing approximately 8000 seeds. On maturing, the fruit splits apart, releasing the seeds, which are then dispersed by wind or rain.

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The fruit and inflorescences are reportedly edible and the fresh leaves can be fed to cattle. It is Sapwood white with a light yellow tinge becoming creamy yellow on exposure. It is easy to work with hand and machine tools, cuts cleanly, gives a very good surface and is easy to nail. The timber air dries rapidly with little or no degrade.

The timber is used for plywood, light construction, pulp and paper, boxes and crates.  Kadamba is suitable for ornamental use and can be Inter cropped.

Cassava

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Cassava is also known as tapioca and  man sapalang in Thai. It  will grow in most soils but it prefers slightly loose soil with good drainage. It can be planted at anytime and  irrigation is only required if planted in the dry season.  18 months is optimum for tuber weight.

Propagation:

Stems are cut from mature cassava trees and then cut into pieces measuring approximately 20cm which should preferably have at least 5 nodes. Stick them into the soil either vertically or at an angle. Of the 20cm, stick 10-15cm into the ground. Make sure the nodes are pointing up (just as they were whilst in the ground before cutting).

Spacing:

The Thai recommendation is 80-100cm x 80-100cm. I follow local practice by planting approximately 50cm x 95cm (I say approximately because we don’t bother to use measuring sticks – the exact spacing is not that relevant). The total yield per rai is not affected. The closer spacing helps to reduce weeds (because of a greater leaf canopy), and soil erosion on slopes (the greater canopy reduces the impact of rainfall on the soil and the more extensive roots help hold the soil in place).

Weeding:

It is vital to keep your crop weed-free during the first 3-4 months. Cassava is a slow grower initially and cannot compete with weeds.

Fertiliser:

50kg of “15-7-18” per rai one month after planting, and another 50kg of “15-7-18” three months after planting. This first application of fertiliser can be replaced, if you wish, by 1,000kg of aged-manure before planting – whilst better, it is impractical for most farmers and more expensive. Of course, any amount of aged-manure or compost before planting in addition to the chemical-fertiliser  after planting as described can only help improve the soil.

Bamboo

Tender bamboo shoots are an important food commodity exported to countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. It is also an irreplaceable building material used as scaffolding.

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Bamboo belongs to the grass family. During the dry season, bamboo culms lay dormant but burst into life at the onset of the rainy season sending several shoots sprouting from their base. A fast growing plant, it can grow more than a meter in height in one day . Despite providing an excellent material for all manner of construction purposes, bamboo also produces bamboo shoots, packed with vitamins A, B1, B2 and C and a delicious ingredient of many Thai meals