Scaling Up of Oil Palm Leaf Analysis Service is Starting in Chumphon

Thachana Palm Oil Company in Surathani Province will be the 1st mill outside Chumphon Province to sponsor its customers for palm oil leaf analysis service.  On 1 September 2008, GTZ  together with Thachana Palm Oil organized a leaf sampling demonstration and fertilizer management session for the potential farmers who supply fruit for the mill. 45 farmers attended the training. The objective of the training was to give the farmers background on the benefits of leaf analysis and to guide them through the leaf sampling method.  The course was structured into two parts – classroom lecture and field practice. 

In cooperation with Vichtibhan Palm Oil which is the lab owner, GTZ is promoting leaf analysis service on a fee-based basis to the farmers in the area beyond Chumphon.  Thachana Palm Oil has expressed interest to join the cooperation. It was agreed by mill that in the current situation where fertilizer costs are tremendously high, testing can help farmers improve the timing and quantity of their fertilizer application to make sure that they bring maximum benefit in terms of yield. The training session was treated as the first and preparation step before leaves are sent in for testing.