Fruit Production and Distribution: Risks of Beautification and ... - RCSD

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Chingchai Methaphat 12He did not want to spray or hire someone to spray chemicals to his trees for healthsafety reasons. He did not care about the beauty of the fruit because, “I just producefor eating in the family and give away to my friends,” he said. Aunt Taeo, a 56-yearoldwidow woman, told me that she changed from using chemicals to using anorganic mixture because she did not have money to buy chemicals. She producedbiofertilizers, biohormone, and biopesticides to use in her orchard. Although AuntTaeo mainly produced bioorganic fruit - only used limited chemicals in some years,she could not set the price and did not get price as high as Uncle Sing. The marketand traders did not give special value to chemical-free durian. She did not expect toproduce durian for export. She showed me some black durian; they became blackbecause of being infected with phlia paeng. She said, “The market does not buy it. Itis not beautiful so that it should not be given to anyone. I keep and eat it.” She alsotold me that the black, ugly durian is more delicious than others. “It is spoiled onlythe outer skin,” she said. She told me that phlia paeng spoiled fruit’s skin and broughtsugar to the fruit. Some farmers explained the flesh of the misshapen, twisted, andsmall durian has more concentrated starch than those of the full segment fruit is moreflavorful. Therefore, they are more creamy and sweet. The spotted and flawed skin offruit also signifies that such fruit has less or no contamination from chemicalscompared to the beautiful fruit. San told me, “If you see marks of insects on the fruit,such marks tell us that insects ate the fruit and survived; thus, it also safe for human.”It is also interesting to note that the ugly fruit is widely used to justify as a sign ofchemical-free, food-safety. For instance, in an occasional market, I observed a guytried to sell his small and ugly longkong by saying, “Longkong rai san krap,chemical-free longkong! They were in such a high tree that the chemicals could notreach them.” That is to say, he also used pesticides in fruit production, but he useddiscourse of chemical-free associated to the unbeautiful image of his fruit as a sellingstrategy.I also have learned from many farmers about the inverse relationship betweenthe taste and the beauty of fruit. It is true for not only durian but also other kinds offruit such as small or misshapen mangosteen are more sweet and delicious than thebeautiful and good-shaped ones.
Chingchai Methaphat 133. Preparation for Making Beautiful FruitsDurian trees usually bear their first fruit at the age of five years. The mostfruitful age of trees is in between six and nine years, which is considered as the age ofa young adult, who is sexually active and productive. That is to say, the tree at theseages is healthy, youthful and fruitful. Usually, the tree can bear fruit effectively untilthe age of 14 years. However, they can still produce fruit until death, but theirproductivity would be less.3.1 Preparing Orchards: Keeping Orchards TidyMost orchardists keep the orchards tidy and clean, but some of those whoplant multicrops let their orchards grow untidy. Most orchardists sprayed herbicides –such as glyphosate and paraquat – to destroy grass in their orchards, especially in theshady areas of durian trees. However, some cut grass by using a motorized mower. Iasked many of them why they have to clean grass instead of letting it grow naturally.I learned that active and industrious orchardists do not let their orchards rok, becomemessy or untidy. The term “rok” also connotes a sense of potential risk or danger inthat the messy orchard might be a nest of poisonous or harmful creatures, includingsnakes. I learned from some orchardists that previously many snakes were inorchards, and they sneaked away whenever people sprayed herbicides. A clean andtidy (sa-at and pen rabiap) orchard also reflects to what extent the orchardist devoteshim/herself to the orchard. Aside from wanting their orchards to look tidy and clean,they told me that cleaning grass is very important for enhancing productivity of thetrees. If they let grass grows naturally, it will compete with their trees in consumingfertilizers that are given to the tree. Without grass or weed, the wind can blow throughthe bushes and branches and leaves of the tree touch the sunlight and have betterventilation. Cleaning the under-tree areas can help not only prevent some diseases orinsects spreading from grass and earth to the tree, but also reduce the breedingsources of insects. Keeping the territory near the stem clear and dry (sok) also helpstrees bud flowers faster. Keeping territory under the tree clean and dry is not only acommon practice among durian farmers but also a crucial technique to preventdiseases and hasten blooming recommended by durian technical experts (Office ofResearch and Development 1994).
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Page 6 and 7: Chingchai Methaphat 6and three sons
Page 8 and 9: Chingchai Methaphat 8Besides the mo
Page 10 and 11: Chingchai Methaphat 10respects, is
Page 14 and 15: Chingchai Methaphat 14Why do they p
Page 16 and 17: Chingchai Methaphat 16instance, San
Page 18 and 19: Chingchai Methaphat 18biorepellents
Page 20 and 21: Chingchai Methaphat 20short. For in
Page 22 and 23: Chingchai Methaphat 22interesting t
Page 24 and 25: Chingchai Methaphat 24I don’t kno
Page 26 and 27: Chingchai Methaphat 26(mother). 12
Page 28 and 29: Chingchai Methaphat 28that the scal
Page 30 and 31: Chingchai Methaphat 30Before harves
Page 32 and 33: Chingchai Methaphat 32season, trade
Page 34 and 35: Chingchai Methaphat 34told me that
Page 36 and 37: Chingchai Methaphat 36neighbors bec
Page 38 and 39: Chingchai Methaphat 38spray for flo
Page 40: Chingchai Methaphat 40beautiful flo

Fruit Production and Distribution: Risks of Beautification and ... - RCSD

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