Durian Farmer Devastated as Wild Squirrels Ravage Premium Monthong Crop Just 10 Days Before Harvest
Wild squirrels destroyed a farmer's premium Monthong durian crop in Chachoengsao just days before harvest, drilling into the ripened fruit and causing tens of thousands of baht in losses.
A durian farmer is devastated after wild squirrels invaded and damaged premium-grade Monthong durians prepared for export, with only 10 days left before the scheduled harvest. A reporter visited a durian orchard in Moo 8, Ang Khiri Subdistrict, Makham District, Chachoengsao Province after learning of the attack on the premium export-grade Monthong durians.
Thongkham Singkhon, a 69-year-old durian farm owner, revealed that she has been cultivating Monthong durian trees for over 7 years. This year's crop produced excellent quality fruit ideal for premium export, with nearly the entire harvest meeting export standards. However, the harvest was scheduled to begin in just 10 days when disaster struck.
The farm suffered an unexpected crisis after being attacked by a troop of wild squirrels, resulting in complete damage to the durian crop. The squirrels employed a "drilling" technique to check the flesh before tasting the fully ripened durians, immediately degrading the quality. A single tree was punctured by the squirrels in over 10 places, resulting in approximately 70 kilograms of losses.
The farm owner expressed her frustration, stating that while she successfully protected the durians from recent storms through careful effort, she never anticipated damage from wild squirrels. The loss of tens of thousands of baht may not seem significant to outsiders, but for an elderly farmer, that amount represents substantial loss.
