A group of housewives in Na Tham Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang Trang District, have used their free time to grow marigolds to sell to middlemen, generating thousands of baht in income per day, to the point that it has become a primary occupation for some. Especially during Buddhist Lent, there are so many orders that there are not enough to sell.A group of housewives in Na Tham Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang District, Trang Province, gathered to spend their free time planting marigolds in the vacant area next to their houses. At first, they did not plant many, but now they have expanded their planting to over 7 rai, becoming a large plot in Mueang Trang District. They sell marigolds both in the province and nearby areas. No matter how much they plant, it is not enough to meet market demand.Ms. Busaba Kraitep, one of the marigold farmers and a buyer in Na Tham Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang Trang District, said that since there was a good market, she tried planting the seeds and gradually expanding the area. Originally, s he started planting more than a thousand plants, but now she has increased to ten thousand plants.Growing marigolds takes only 45 days before they can be cut and sold for 20 satang to 2.50 baht per flower. During the Buddhist Lent, orders surge to more than 30,000 flowers per day, giving farmers an income of no less than 1,000-3,000 baht per day, to the point that it has become their main occupation, generating hundreds of thousands of baht per person per year. Each batch of marigolds will bloom for harvesting for about 3 months, giving them an income every day. The marigolds here are grown without chemicals and are in high demand in the market. There are middlemen who come to buy them at the garden. Each year, marigolds can be grown no less than 2-3 times. When harvesting is complete, farmers can replant the plot by plowing the soil, adding lime, adding manure, fertilizing the soil, and letting the soil rest for about 2 months before starting to plant again, giving them an income that is continuous almost all year round. - Thai News AgencySource: Thai News Agency