New 5-year rice plan to halve costs, launch 12 new Thai strains

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New 5-year rice plan to halve costs, launch 12 new Thai strains

By The Nation

 

 

The Rice Policy and Management Committee on Wednesday approved the five-year national rice strategy (2020-2024), said Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.

 

The strategy offers guidelines on adding value to Thai rice.

 

It also aims to reduce the cost of cultivating rice from the current level of about Bt6,000 per rai to Bt3,000 per rai, while at the same time boosting yield from 456 kilos per rai to 600 kilos.

 

Jurin added that the strategy would introduce 12 new strains of Thai rice by 2024, as part of ongoing efforts to tap new markets.

 

He also urged state agencies to ask China to import an additional 100,000 tonnes of Thai rice this year under the existing memorandum of understanding between the two countries.

 

Under the deal, China will purchase one million tonnes of rice from Thailand, of which 700,000 tonnes has already been purchased.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30397340

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-05

 

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[Chelseafan]

I've got my skeptical glasses on but if they could truly cut cultivating costs in half AND increase yield rates then Thailand would corner the global market in rice.

 

[bodga]

6 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

I've got my skeptical glasses on but if they could truly cut cultivating costs in half AND increase yield rates then Thailand would corner the global market in rice.

 

Theyre  probably right  now  inventing a new weights  system where one  old  kilo = two new  ones.

[Grumpy John]

When we did rice we got over 800kg per rai first year so I don't know where he is getting his numbers from!  Halving the cost of production???  Maybe the great Houdini could pull it off.....

 

Well, cutting the price of fertiliser would go a long way to helping farmers make a better profit.  I bought a 50kg bag of 15-15-15 a couple of weeks ago and it was 875 baht.   Same price as last year but the cost of production would be less now due to the fall in petroleum prices.  And diesel.  For us here the on farm price of diesel is 50 satang dearer than the pump price in Wang Sai Phun!  Hence I buy at the pump mostly and fill a couple of drums.  

[Venom]

I suppose burning the rice fields alrrady gives them an advantage over countries that don't allow the practice. Nevermind exposing the peasants to the worst air quality on the planet. ????????????

[Misterwhisper]

4 hours ago, bodga said:

Theyre  probably right  now  inventing a new weights  system where one  old  kilo = two new  ones.

The so-called Thai kilo. It already exists in many wet markets, to where customers usually don't bring their own (non-tampered) scales. So, yes, why not let the rest of the world have a taste of it, too. 

[Dumbastheycome]

5 minutes ago, Venom said:

I suppose burning the rice fields alrrady gives them an advantage over countries that don't allow the practice. Nevermind exposing the peasants to the worst air quality on the planet. ????????????

Which countries are those that effectively do not burn off stubble despite laws?

 

[Venom]

29 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Which countries are those that effectively do not burn off stubble despite laws?

 

 

South India for one, where stubble is not burnt as there is economic value as animal feed. Simply educate poor farmers and give them the option to convert rice stubble into income!

 

Open stubble burning  exposes the peasantry to large amounts of toxic pollutants in the atmosphere which contain harmful gases like methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile organic compound (VOC) and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

 

Clean it up Thailand! 

 

 

 

 

[Dogmatix]

They should just let Vietnamese farmers come in and show them how they get much lower costs and higher yields. Their government actually gets the job done, whereas corrupt Thai government officials and politicians just sit in cosy offices in Bangkok and get someone to issue a meaningless press release like this one to be lapped up Thai media without any questions.

[Dumbastheycome]

1 minute ago, Venom said:

 

South India for one, where stubble is not burnt as there is economic value as animal feed. Simply educate poor farmers and give them the option to convert rice stubble into income!

 

Open stubble burning  exposes the peasantry to large amounts of toxic pollutants in the atmosphere which contain harmful gases like methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Volatile organic compound (VOC) and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

 

Clean it up Thailand! 

 

 

 

 

South India  has initiated alternatives but sadly rice straw is actually  very poor stock feed. Is mostly  just  used as a filler or carrier for  better nutritional  additives.

Northern India has introduced the use of an applied decomposition agent as an alternative.

Rice straw and  stubble is notoriously resistant to decomposition and as  tough as  leather when it comes to shredding. That combined with limited use value compared to the sheer  volume is the  sad reason  burning has been an ancient method of removal.

I have personally attempted  various  methods  to return it  into the soil with  amused Thai family assistance.

Never achieved  much success.

 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

I've got my skeptical glasses on but if they could truly cut cultivating costs in half AND increase yield rates then Thailand would corner the global market in rice.

 

It ain't gonna happen.

[Dumbastheycome]

I am wondering if the inferred proposal to  halve costs was related to the purchase price of new cultivar strains ?

There seems to be no logical explanation of any way to  reduce actual cultivation  costs  by 50% .

There is a lot of  development in Thailand for new rice strains in pursuit of  nutritional  value, disease resistance, export market  value, etc.

My observation is the hardest part is  getting Farmers  to actively participate instead of simply re-sowing the same old seed from the  same old  annual crop .

[Venom]

12 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

South India  has initiated alternatives but sadly rice straw is actually  very poor stock feed. Is mostly  just  used as a filler or carrier for  better nutritional  additives.

Northern India has introduced the use of an applied decomposition agent as an alternative.

Rice straw and  stubble is notoriously resistant to decomposition and as  tough as  leather when it comes to shredding. That combined with limited use value compared to the sheer  volume is the  sad reason  burning has been an ancient method of removal.

I have personally attempted  various  methods  to return it  into the soil with  amused Thai family assistance.

Never achieved  much success.

 

Unfortunately there's zero motivation for them to stop, Most are completely ignorant of to the issue and not interested in the slightest. The only way it will stop is through trade sanctions for the polluters or in other words hitting them in the pocket book, that is the only way you will ever get their attention. ???? 

[Dumbastheycome]

7 hours ago, Venom said:

Unfortunately there's zero motivation for them to stop, Most are completely ignorant of to the issue and not interested in the slightest. The only way it will stop is through trade sanctions for the polluters or in other words hitting them in the pocket book, that is the only way you will ever get their attention. ???? 

Perhaps the opposite would be true. They are not entirely ignorant of the issue but continue customary practices in the  absence of viable or affordable alternatives. There is  not a lot to "hit" in the pockets of the vast number of poor rice farmers who collectively produce a major  global food source. Perhaps paying them better instead of extorting them would be an incentive to invest in solutions?

It is interesting to note the allocation of blame for persistent air pollution is on very  seasonal agricultural practices while conveniently accommodating the more  permanent industrial and urban sources.