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โครงการหนังสออเล็กทรอนกสด้านการเกษตร เฉลมพระเกียรตพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว
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TEAK IN MEKONG
and Thailand. Since 1980s, teak plantations Before 1963, Cambodia had been under
have been expanded in countries in Africa French colony during which political
(0.47 million ha), tropical America (0.27 control and territory administration were
million ha), and Latin America could fully supervised by French. In 1930s,
become a major source of planted teak French commenced to carry out
(Pandey & Brown, 2000; FAO, 2009; agroforestry system trials in Indochina for
Kollert & Cherubini, 2012). the enrichment of natural forests by
intercropping method, which was applied
According to the FAO, the demand and
trade of tropical industrial timber throughout Southeast Asia-birth of
worldwide is about 15 million cubic meters agroforestry practices in Indochina
per year in 10 years (2005-2014), and the (Allouard, 1947).
teak roundwood contributes more than 1 Enlargement of reforestation modes by
million cubic meters per year, equivalent to inter-cultivation of agricultural crops (The
7%, while teak sawnwood averaged 0.12 practices by French):
million cubic meters per year during the In dense forest vegetation, all trees were cut
same period. The countries that export and down, and removed off what could be
supply teakwood include Myanmar (43% of useful (lumber, firewood or charcoal., etc.),
teak roundwood and 50% of teak burned down whatever remain in place.
sawnwood) and countries in Latin America
(Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama and In this soil fertilized by ashes, trees were
Colombia) and Africa (Ghana, Côte sown or planted. The local inhabitants were
d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo and Nigeria). Major allowed to come for two years to cultivate
importers include India, Thailand, China, agricultural crops on this land. Annually,
Taiwan, South Korea, USA, Europe and the provided trees were maintained on such
other Asian countries. The price of teak fertilized soil, often they obtained
wood in the international market is between magnificent harvests; but after two years it
350-1,000 USD per cubic meter (FAO, was necessary to leave the place because
2015; ITTO, 2020). the beneficial effects of burning would be
gone. The trees grew to various sizes of
History of Teak Plantation Development brushwood which was not too troublesome,
in Cambodia
because during the first two years, the trees
Teak was introduced to Cambodia in 1936 overcame the growth of these brushwood.
in Han Chey commune, Kampong Cham The locals just had to wait until the trees
province, as an agroforestry system had reached their diameter one another.
(Allouard, 1947). Many decades later, the This method applied in many countries in
expansion of teak has been made to other South-East Asia had started to be
provinces such as Pursat and Ratanakiri experienced in Indochina (Cambodia) since
Province (Narong et al., 2014).
1936.
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