Drought crisis sees sticky rice price double amid widespread shortages

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that the price of sticky rice to consumers has almost doubled year on year. 

 

There are dire shortages of the Thai staple as farmers hold onto supplies for their own use rather than sell it to mills and agents. 

 

This has been caused by 600,000 rai of land being unsuitable for sticky rice cultivation due to the drought crisis hitting Thailand. 

 

Domestic trade representatives have warned people not to engage in profiteering. 

 

In a widely shared article across Thai social media Thai Rath said that the price of sticky rice had increased from over 19,000 baht a ton in 2018 to around 38,000 baht a ton this August - a 98% rise. 

 

Sticky rice is a staple in Thailand particularly in the north east and north. But it is also popular as a compliment to many dishes in Bangkok. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

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i hope the farmers that grow it get all the market will pay for it, they earned it.

Farmers can't engage in profiteering but the govt can

Can confirm the Mrs was moaning about the massive price rise two weeks ago and local sellers now not ????

It's those bad, bad farmers again who dare sustaining themselves on their own produce. It's not like these straight-as-a-die millers or "agents" would be hoarding any sticky rice in order to drive up the price even higher. The price mentioned in the article is the wholesale price that millers and "agents" charge... the farmers receive only a small fraction of that, hardly enough to make a living. 

The drought has created more than just a problem for the sticky rice domestic market. Thanks to the drought the rice export market is likely to take a big kick in the guts causing yet a further drop in the Thai export numbers. 

A drop in rice exports is likely to be further compounded by:

1. High baht.

2. Ample global stockpiles.

3. Cheaper rice from Vietnam. Thailand has been steadily losing market share to Vietnam.

4. China has been selling stockpiles of “old rice” to African markets previously dominated by Thailand.

 

The gloom and doom just keeps on coming.  Just the other day some flowerpot head Minister was telling everyone to........join hands, embrace change, have confidence in oneself, stand up, be strong and prosper.

All hope is lost I am afraid!

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1118318-interior-minister-outlines-fundamental-economy-policy/

 

 

Edited August 21, 20196 yr by Cadbury

Grimmace at the use of the term "crisis".  This is a mostly predictable, Boom/Bust annual event.   2 recent occasions exacerbated by gubmint leaders and their yes men, to avoid floods in the wet season.  Realize there are other factors, geo-political, agriculture, etc.

 

Amusingly though, the strategy seems to be inspired by a television game show.  What do we have for our lucky contestants, today, Bob?  How about a brand new DROUGHT!

 

So they spin the Wheel of Fortune and let <deleted>loads of water out of the dam.  Then, light some incense, shoot some homemade rockets into the blue sky and pray to the sky god for rain.  Wooops!  Solly Charlie, you roooze dis time.  Maybe neck year you get more rucky, ok?

 

We left on holiday mid-June.  The huge reservoir along the highway to BKK was looking great, finally recovered from the Yingluck "Burberry galoshes" Shinawatra dynasty.

 

Driving North from Swampy last week, it was like a Back to the Future.  The once brimming reservoir was shockingly low.  Cows grazing on new beach front property that was well and deeply submerged when we left 2 months before. 

 

Beggars can't be chosers.  I suppose a drought is less troublesome than flooded towns and cities.   Be nice if Thailand could eventually figure this one out.  Until then, we seem to lurch from one predictable, mostly avoidable, crisis to the next. 

Edited August 21, 20196 yr by 55Jay

What about non-sticky rice? 

7 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

Grimmace at the use of the term "crisis".  This is a mostly predictable, Boom/Bust annual event.   2 recent occasions exacerbated by gubmint leaders and their yes men, to avoid floods in the wet season.  Realize there are other factors, geo-political, agriculture, etc.

 

Amusingly though, the strategy seems to be inspired by a television game show.  What do we have for our lucky contestants, today, Bob?  How about a brand new DROUGHT!

 

So they spin the Wheel of Fortune and let <deleted>loads of water out of the dam.  Then, light some incense, shoot some homemade rockets into the blue sky and pray to the sky god for rain.  Wooops!  Solly Charlie, you roooze dis time.  Maybe neck year you be da' winner, ok?

 

We left on holiday mid-June.  The huge reservoir along the highway to BKK was looking great, finally recovered from the Yingluck "Burberry galoshes" Shinawatra dynasty.

 

Driving North from Swampy last week, it was like a Back to the Future.  The brimming reservoir was shockingly low.  Cows grazing on new beach front property that was well and deeply submerged when we left 2 months before. 

 

Beggars can't be chosers.  I suppose a drought is less troublesome than flooded towns and cities.   Be nice if Thailand could eventually figure this one out.  Until then, we seem to lurch from one predictable, mostly avoidable, crisis to the next. 

And next April during songkran they'll waist millions of gallons of water throwing on people cars and motorcycles

wont bother farang nothing here.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

There are dire shortages of the Thai staple as farmers hold onto supplies for their own use rather than sell it to mills and agents. 

Well, if they eat it and lose the house and farm.............................

Yes Bangkok would be different if every other building was a water tank.

2 hours ago, Tayaout said:

What about non-sticky rice? 

Things are  getting sticky with that too.

regards worgeordie

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Can confirm the Mrs was moaning about the massive price rise two weeks ago and local sellers now not ????

Another false economy racket

Surely a sign of the coming worldwide recession?

Time to switch to bread then... rice is overated anyway, empty calories...

White rice has little nutritional value, so eating it just adds empty calories to your diet.  Many people throughout the world are eating more and more processed foods like white rice that contain empty calories.  As a result, there is a rising population of people who are actually nutritionally deficient but also overweight or obese. Obesity is the new face of malnutrition and it is a huge problem.

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2017/11/02/5-reasons-brown-rice-is-better-than-white/

1 hour ago, Percy P said:

There is an answer to The water crisis. To much water from roof top of building over the country just go th wast. In the UK every building has a water catch ment. I only see this in rural area's for there own preservation. Never seen water tanks in the cities preserving the water from roof tops. In the UK its in the building regulations for all building to be fitted with a water catchment for water coming off the roofs 

Not a good idea in cities like Bangkok to much pollution and lead and god know what other chemicals collecting on the roof in dry season better to let it all wash into the ocean with all the other <deleted> then go swim in it on the weekend or eat the fish they catch from the ocean,that's why I don't eat seafood as it's been swimming in the toilet.

Cripes the wife  will be frantic!!

There is a major crisis coming for the last quater of this year, when millions of small farmers are going to harvest between 0 and 25% of their usual crop of rice. 

 

Not only won't they be able to sell any, but they won't have enough to sustain themselves and their families. 

 

And of course they won't have the money to buy rice at 35 or 40 baht per kilo. 

 

The government should already prepare for the crisis to come... 

 

Hmmmmm .... interesting, up here in Vientiane, 'sticky rice' (cow-nee-ow) is more the stable diet on the rice scene as opposed to ordinary rice (cow-suai) that is generally consumed by Thai's ... the cost of sticky rice has barely grown at all here in Laos .... time for a bit of international trading me thinks!

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Well, if they eat it and lose the house and farm.............................

many this  year won't have it either to eat or sell !

Is nothing sacred..

47 minutes ago, moutamine said:

Time to switch to bread then... rice is overated anyway, empty calories...

White rice has little nutritional value, so eating it just adds empty calories to your diet.  Many people throughout the world are eating more and more processed foods like white rice that contain empty calories.  As a result, there is a rising population of people who are actually nutritionally deficient but also overweight or obese. Obesity is the new face of malnutrition and it is a huge problem.

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2017/11/02/5-reasons-brown-rice-is-better-than-white/

So eat white bread which has the same empty calories as you call them, yes wholemeal bread is available but almst a novelty is most developed countries just like brown rice, any processed food like white rice/bread etc have lots of carbs with fewer nutritional benefits, I agree that nutritionally deficient obesity is a severe proble in the developed regions of the world but saying "let them eat bread" to paraphrase Marie Antionette is certainly not the answer it is just swapping one set of empty calories for another by the way Wheat requires water to grow and a lot more fertiliser than rice

Was Prayuth saying a little while ago that people should grow things other than rice, rubber and sugar and to be a smart farmer?Now he is subsidising rice which many won't get the benefit because they won't have much to eat let a lone sell.

Many  large  parts of the  north east have received very little rain so  far this  year. Rice crops are shrivelled and unlikely to  yield  much at all, sticky  rice or other.

There will be a sad impact on many involving the whole gambit of financial stress. Urban drift is likely  to become a new stampede. Debt repayment issues will result in loan shark extortion and crime if  central Government does  not provide effective and directed assistance. Small town businesses will suffer and  to an extent  rural cities too.

Agriculture and in particular  rice production is  still an important  economic  factor  in the Thai economy.

The north east only  just scraped  through last years  season. If  next  year repeats as this year has it is likely  to see the abandonment of  farms or large  scale  corporate mechanized takeovers.

For those is a position to buy expect to see a surge in second hand vehicles  for sale !

 

ps: For the urbanites of Pattaya etc rural poverty might increase the selection of bar girls.

Edited August 21, 20196 yr by Dumbastheycome

25 minutes ago, JenksB said:

So eat white bread which has the same empty calories as you call them, yes wholemeal bread is available but almst a novelty is most developed countries just like brown rice, any processed food like white rice/bread etc have lots of carbs with fewer nutritional benefits, I agree that nutritionally deficient obesity is a severe proble in the developed regions of the world but saying "let them eat bread" to paraphrase Marie Antionette is certainly not the answer it is just swapping one set of empty calories for another by the way Wheat requires water to grow and a lot more fertiliser than rice

That French  babe lost her head  for a similar suggestion !

No  rice, no  money. Bread  you say ? Millet may  save the day.

52 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

There is a major crisis coming for the last quater of this year, when millions of small farmers are going to harvest between 0 and 25% of their usual crop of rice. 

 

Not only won't they be able to sell any, but they won't have enough to sustain themselves and their families. 

 

And of course they won't have the money to buy rice at 35 or 40 baht per kilo. 

 

The government should already prepare for the crisis to come... 

 

 

Rice farmers who keep what they have managed to grow for themselves will have no income this year. Not only will there be little of no rice for export, but I can see the government having to import rice and heavily subsidise it for the population. That should eat (pun) into the cash reserves very nicely and maybe the baht might return to a reasonable level.

That's odd, it was flooding in BKK yesterday. ???? TIT ????

I'm presently in little town about 15k from Kohn Kaen. Government has switched off the water for last ten days. Water bowser goes round supplying people in this town and next one. Certainly in the 50k or so we drove today, rice fields looking in a very sorry state.

What drought? It's been overcast for months raining almost daily and we live in the north.