- C Kaiser
- DPI, p O Box 5083, Sunshine Coast Mall Centre, Nambour, Old 4560, Australia
- 1998
At the invitation of the Thailand Institute for Scientific and Technological Research, and with generous sponsorship of the airfare by the South African Litchi Growers’ Association, the author spent 12 days in Thailand during May 1996. The purpose of the visit was twofold. Initially, a study trip to the two major litchi producing areas in Chiangmai and Chiangrai was undertaken during the first week. During the second week, post-harvest litchi research was conducted at the Thailand Institute for Scientific and Technological Research in Bangkok. This report gives an account of the study visit to Chiangmai and Chiangrai and touches briefly on the results obtained for the postharvest studies conducted in Bangkok.
Summary:
- The author visited Thailand in May 1996, invited by the Thailand Institute for Scientific and Technological Research and sponsored by the South African Litchi Growers Association, to study litchi production in Chiangmai and Chiangrai and conduct post-harvest research in Bangkok.
- Litchi production in Thailand is a major fruit industry, but most growers are small-scale, with less than one hectare and rarely more than a few hundred trees each; operations are often family inheritances.
- Pesticide use is low among growers, partly due to the small size of operations and because exporters often purchase crops while still immature, leading to complacency about fruit quality.
- Major problems in litchi production include “Litchi Blight,” a root fungal infection causing corky lesions and cracked rinds, and the litchi moth, which damages mature fruit.
- To combat the litchi moth, a biological method was developed: wrapping fruit in newspaper, which also acts as mulch after harvest; this method is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
- Harvesting is done using mobile cherry pickers, and trees are pruned after harvest to stimulate reproductive growth and achieve high yields (up to 12 tons per hectare).
- Fruit is delivered to packhouses in grass baskets or plastic lug boxes, sometimes covered with moistened hessian to prevent color loss; sorting is done by hand, which is labor-intensive but preferred for maintaining fruit quality.
- Post-harvest, fruit is placed in white plastic baskets with leaves to retain moisture; previously, fruit was transported on open trucks, but new methods include hydro-cooling and evaporative cooling to improve fruit condition during transport.
- Hydro-cooling tanks with ice and conveyor systems have been introduced, cooling fruit to 4°C and improving its condition upon arrival at markets.
- There was an oversupply of litchi fruit in Thailand that year, leading to low prices; the government subsidized growers to prevent market collapse.
- The author recommends exporting Thai litchi to European markets, citing favorable exchange rates and a potential niche.