Smart Durian Farming with Minimum Cost (Thailand)

🎯 Core Principle

Smart farming is about better decisions, not expensive technology. Start with observation, records, and simple rules before investing in hardware.

STEP 1: Smart Observation (0–500 THB)

Record daily or weekly:

Rain (yes/no or mm)
Irrigation (on/off, hours)
Tree condition (normal / stressed)
Flower / fruit status
Disease signs

Tools: notebook or Google Sheets (free).

STEP 2: Free Weather Data (0 THB)

Use Thai Meteorological Department, Windy, or Meteoblue.

Durian rules:

Dry period → flower induction
Heavy rain forecast → stop induction
Continuous rain → disease prevention

STEP 3: One Cheap Tool That Matters (500–1,500 THB)

Manual soil moisture meter:

Measure before irrigation
Measure after rain
Check 20–30 cm depth

Avoid IoT systems at this stage.

STEP 4: Simple Irrigation Rules

Soil still wet → do not irrigate
Rain > 20 mm → skip irrigation 2–3 days
Flower induction → controlled stress

STEP 5: Disease Prevention (Smart Timing)

Root rot risk = wet soil + warm weather.

Use weather + soil moisture to decide:

Spray timing
Drainage improvement
Irrigation stop

STEP 6: Manual Simulation Thinking (Free)

Prepare actions for 3 scenarios:

No rain
Light rain
Heavy rain

Decide before it happens.

STEP 7: Yield & Cost Tracking

Track:

Fertilizer cost
Labor cost
Yield (kg/tree)

Calculate:

Cost per kg
Profit per rai

STEP 8: When to Upgrade Technology

Upgrade only if steps 1–7 are stable.

Low-cost upgrades:

Rain gauge
Second soil moisture meter
Shared drone service

Avoid full smart-farm packages early.

💸 Minimum Budget Summary

Item	Cost (THB)
Records & weather	0
Soil moisture meter	500–1,500
Rain gauge (optional)	~300
Total	< 2,000 THB

🔄 Workflow: From Minimum Cost to Full-Scale Smart Farming

flowchart TD
    A["Phase 1: Observation & Records
(Zero Cost)"] --> B["Phase 2: Simple Measurement
Soil + Rain (<2,000 THB)"]
    B --> C["Phase 3: Rule-Based Decisions
If–Then Farming Rules"]
    C --> D["Phase 4: Digital Assist
Apps, Shared Drone"]
    D --> E["Phase 5: Selective Automation
IoT + Auto Irrigation"]
    E --> F["Phase 6: Cooperative Intelligence
Simulation + Market Planning"]

    A --- A1["Records, Weather, Experience"]
    B --- B1["Replace Feeling with Data"]
    C --- C1["Consistency & Risk Reduction"]
    D --- D1["Lower Labor, Fewer Errors"]
    E --- E1["Scale with Control"]
    F --- F1["Price Stability & Power"]

Below is a progressive workflow showing how a durian farm can improve smart farming step by step, without wasting money or jumping too fast.

🟢 Phase 1: Zero–Low Cost (Decision First)

Goal: Stop guessing, start understanding

Tools

Notebook / Google Sheets
Free weather forecast
Farmer experience

Activities

Daily/weekly observation
Record rain, irrigation, tree status
Use weather forecast before actions

Outcome

Fewer wrong decisions
Basic flowering & disease awareness

🟡 Phase 2: Low Cost Measurement (< 2,000 THB)

Goal: Replace feeling with simple data

Tools

Manual soil moisture meter
Rain gauge (optional)

Activities

Measure soil before irrigation
Compare rain vs soil wetness
Apply simple irrigation rules

Outcome

Water saving
Reduced root rot risk
More stable flowering

🟠 Phase 3: Rule-Based Smart Farming

Goal: Consistent decisions

Tools

Written rules
Simple checklists

Activities

If–then rules (rain → stop water)
Disease prevention timing
Scenario thinking (what-if rain)

Outcome

Less emotional decisions
Repeatable farming process

🔵 Phase 4: Assisted Digital Smart Farming

Goal: Reduce labor & human error

Tools

Mobile app (record keeping)
Shared drone service
Basic dashboards

Activities

Digital records instead of paper
Drone inspection (per use)
Simple reports (yield, cost)

Outcome

Faster decisions
Better visibility across orchard

🟣 Phase 5: Full Smart Farming (Selective Automation)

Goal: Scale with control

Tools

IoT soil & weather sensors
Automated irrigation (zones)
Disease alert system

Activities

Real-time monitoring
Automated irrigation rules
Early warning alerts

Outcome

Labor reduction
Stable yield at scale
Lower long-term cost

⚫ Phase 6: Advanced & Cooperative Level

Goal: Risk reduction & market power

Tools

Yield & cashflow simulation
Cooperative data sharing
Market & logistics planning

Activities

Harvest timing coordination
Price risk simulation
Export quality optimization

Outcome

Price stability
Strong bargaining power
Sustainable income

📋 Table: Required Resources by Project Phase

This table shows what resources are really required at each phase — people, tools, skills, and budget — to avoid over‑investment.

Phase	People	Tools / Technology	Skills Needed	Budget Level
Phase 1: Observation & Records	Farmer / Owner	Notebook, Google Sheets, Weather apps	Observation, discipline, basic understanding	🟢 0 THB
Phase 2: Simple Measurement	Farmer	Soil moisture meter, rain gauge	Reading data, basic interpretation	🟢 < 2,000 THB
Phase 3: Rule‑Based Decisions	Farmer / Supervisor	Written rules, checklists	Decision logic, risk awareness	🟢 Very low
Phase 4: Digital Assist	Farmer + Assistant	Mobile app, shared drone service	Digital literacy, basic analysis	🟡 Low–Medium
Phase 5: Selective Automation	Farm manager + Technician	IoT sensors, auto irrigation, alerts	System operation, maintenance	🟠 Medium
Phase 6: Cooperative Intelligence	Cooperative team	Simulation tools, shared data platform	Planning, coordination, market analysis	🔴 Medium–High