ISSCT  AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING  WORKSHOP
Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, THAILAND
1 - 6 March 2009
"Sugarcane Mechanization for Profitability and Sustainability
Under Environmental Conservation"

Host Country

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand was voted by the Travel and Leisure magazine readers as the world’s Best City 2008 based on sight, arts and culture, restaurant and food, people and shopping. Whilst tourism to the many beaches and resorts is the glamour industry, the economy of Thailand is supported by vibrant agricultural industries based on fertile lands and adequate water resources. 

The Thailand sugar industry has an annual value of $US 2.1B. Thailand grows 72Mt of sugarcane which is harvested annually and 7.57Mt of sugar is produced, 2Mt of which is for local consumption. Thailand is the world’s 2^nd largest exporter of sugar, exporting 5.7Mt, mainly to Asia. This production is generated from an area under cane of approximately 990,000 ha, with over 170,000 growers supplying the 47 sugar mills.  Only 10% of the cane area is farmed on a plantation basis by the millers. Approximately 80% of the growers are very small with farms of less than 20 ha, with a small number of farmers cultivating up to 100 ha.  Only 5% of the crop is mechanically harvested and the labour for crop production is mainly from neighbouring countries.  Where water is available surface (furrow) irrigation is the most common irrigation system, although some surface type drip irrigation and other systems are also used. 

At the Industrial level, the industry is diversifying into alternative products to increase gross income and reduce the impact of price volatility. Biofuel initiatives are now a significant driver for the planned industry expansion, increasing the area under cane by approximately 30%, to 95Mt as a short term goal. The major threats to sugarcane production are from other crops, with growers moving in and out of cane depending on the price of other commodities.

Host Institution and VENUES

The host institution for the Workshop was the Thailand Society of Sugar Cane Technologists, and was supported by the Thai Farmer Association. 

The workshop was held at the National Agricultural Extension and Training Center (NAETC), Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom province, the center is approximately 90 km west of Bangkok.

   Return to Introduction