Farmers disgusted with agriculture minister’s performance, demand replacement

By The Nation

 

File Photo: Chalermchai Sreeon, left, and Mananya Thaiset, right

 

Some 30 farmers showed up at Government House on Thursday (July 23) to demand that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha replace Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sreeon and Deputy Minister Mananya Thaiset because they failed in their job.

 

Sukan Sangkawanna, secretary-general of the Federation for Farmers’ Safety, said Thai farmers have been banned from using agro-chemical paraquat since June 1. Yet Thailand continues to import soybean, wheat, flour, grapes, apple, coffee etc from countries like Japan, Australia and New Zealand, where the use of paraquat is still allowed.

 

Mananya had said that imports from these countries will be gradually phased out from June 1, 2021, while the Public Health Ministry had said it would study chemical residues on fruit and vegetables.

 

The Department of Agriculture has told farmers to use glyphosate and glufosinate as pesticides for rubber and fruit trees and for cassava, yet the two substances leave residue on the crops, while glufosinate falls under the same category of hazardous substances as paraquat, Sukan said.

 

He also pointed out that the department has yet to find a substitute that matches paraquat in terms of effectiveness and price, and has only offered alternatives like glufosinate, which benefit certain businesses.

 

He said farmers want the premier to replace these two ministers as they have not done what they promised and have shown no sincerity in solving problems, adding that in actual fact, some of their actions have had serious consequences for farmers.

 

The group also marched to the Foundation for Consumers, which had launched the campaign against the use of hazardous materials in farming, and then to Bhumjaithai Party headquarters for failing to delivery what it promised when campaigning for votes.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391813

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-23

 

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The students were in the streets protesting

now the it's the farmers who are not happy at all

and it's just the begining

it seems something (Or someone) is going to change 

the sooner the better

38 minutes ago, webfact said:

because they failed in their job

Not only the ag minister failing in his job, the whole crowd of them are useless.

Just keep changing them every week.

Good on them for highlighting the issues, but aren't we about to see a cabinet reshuffle anyway? It will be out with the old and in with the new but same, same in terms of favoring alternatives "which benefit certain businesses".

Time for the heroine smuggler to get a promotion

1 hour ago, Creasy said:

Time for the heroine smuggler to get a promotion

After the ludicrous "ex cons getting plum jobs abroad.." 

it wouldn't surprise me if opium poppies were mooted as a cash crop. ????

 

The more people who complain or protest, the better chance of having a true capable government becomes possible. ????

The ministry of failure is very busy right now and cannot receive requests to remove failed ministers as the only replacement left is prawit again????

15 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

The students were in the streets protesting

now the it's the farmers who are not happy at all

and it's just the begining

it seems something (Or someone) is going to change 

the sooner the better

Wrong....nothing will change....the military will stop demonstrations very quickly...and the farmers and the poor, are meaningless to these leaders

Thailand, no longer the hub of paraquat? ???? 

Also, looks like it is going to be a pretty dry rainy season in the north of the country. So, more pressure there also.

18 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

The students were in the streets protesting

now the it's the farmers who are not happy at all

and it's just the begining

it seems something (Or someone) is going to change 

the sooner the better

Wait for the auto manufacturing companies to start working less hours or even worse as the cars sales plummet... then watch the fun start.

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The Department of Agriculture has told farmers to use glyphosate and glufosinate as pesticides for rubber and fruit trees and for cassava, yet the two substances leave residue on the crops, while glufosinate falls under the same category of hazardous substances as paraquat, Sukan said.

 

What a Fruitcake ,

He don't even know that they are Herbicides.     ; Same as Paraquat is;

He says  to use them as Pesticides . ????   Wouldn't kill a fly .

 

Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will kill most plants. 

 

Glufosinate-ammonium Herbicide, CAS No.77182-82-2, Purity 95%, Efficient Weed Killer. Efficient Control & Kill of Broadleaf Weeds, Guaranteed Quality & Performance

2 hours ago, Venom said:

Thailand, no longer the hub of paraquat? ???? 

Except  in my  storeroom and also available but  cunningly labelled as  something else in local shops.

9 hours ago, faraday said:

it wouldn't surprise me if opium poppies were mooted as a cash crop

Yes indeed, still being grown and cultivated (BIG money earner) across the border in Burma and Laos within the Golden Triangle (UN photo taken in Northern Laos):-

 

 

8 hours ago, thequietman said:

Also, looks like it is going to be a pretty dry rainy season in the north of the country. So, more pressure there also.

Not only the north, the northeast as well! Dry here same as last year. This years rice crop will be a complete disaster same as in 2019. And the government guarantees (?) 15'000 Baht/ton for hom mali rice.