Northern Thailand Longan Farmers Brace for Super El Niño Impact

According to a report by Khaosod Online Thailand, longan farmers in Northern Thailand, particularly in Lamphun province, are navigating a difficult agricultural season. Niroj Saenchai, a 76-year-old orchard owner and head of an agricultural learning center, noted that while longan prices are expected to improve this July due to a lower market supply—following a period where many farmers abandoned their crops due to previous losses—new environmental threats have emerged.

Farmers are increasingly concerned about the 'Super El Niño' phenomenon, which is associated with prolonged dry spells and extreme heat. In Lamphun, the impact of climate change is already visible; the proportion of high-quality 'AA grade' longan produced at local orchards has dropped from 80% to just 20% in recent years due to reduced rainfall. With warnings that temperatures could reach 45 degrees Celsius, there is significant uncertainty regarding how the longan trees will withstand such extreme heat.

For residents and visitors, this situation highlights the growing vulnerability of Northern Thailand’s agricultural sector to climate volatility. While the immediate market outlook for longan appears more favorable than in previous years, the long-term sustainability of the crop remains uncertain. It remains to be confirmed how severely the predicted extreme weather will affect the total harvest volume and whether local water management strategies will be sufficient to mitigate the heat-related risks to the orchards.