Farmers advised again to skip a rice crop cycle after harvest in October

[snoop1130]

 

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has repeated its strong advice to rice farmers not to plant a crop after the harvest in October and November this year, due to the water shortage as a result of the extended El Niño, which is expected to intensify and drag on until early next year.

 

RID Director-General Prapit Chanma said today (Friday) that the amount of water stored in the country’s reservoirs will be sufficient for consumption, maintaining the ecological system and the planting of big trees, but not for thirsty rice cultivation which requires a lot of water.

 

The four main reservoirs in the Chao Phraya river basin, namely Bhumibol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi Bamrung Daen and Pasak Jolasid, currently contain a combined total of 10.825 billion cubic metres of water, only 44% of their combined capacities.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-09-15

 

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[Tropicalevo]

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

and the planting of big trees,

When farmers are told to miss a harvest, the government should compensate them.

Planting tree? FFS.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

When farmers are told to miss a harvest, the government should compensate them.

Planting tree? FFS.

Pay them to produce nothing... great idea.
Why not produce an alternative crop of some-kind

[RichardColeman]

Seems like the government are getting their chess pieces in order to blame everyone else other than themselves for the Thailand water management and the up and coming severe drought

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Pay them to produce nothing... great idea.
Why not produce an alternative crop of some-kind

Without water?

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Seems like the government are getting their chess pieces in order to blame everyone else other than themselves for the Thailand water management and the up and coming severe drought

When you say 'the government' I guess you mean the bureaucrats? The current government has scarcely been in place for a couple of weeks ...

 

In any case, while 'water management' is something that could no doubt be improved over the long term (though the fundamental geographical difficulties are challenging), 'severe drought' is more in Buddha's hands than anyone else's.

[Speedhump]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has repeated its strong advice to rice farmers not to plant a crop after the harvest in October and November this year, due to the water shortage as a result of the extended El Niño, which is expected to intensify and drag on until early next year.

 

RID Director-General Prapit Chanma said today (Friday) that the amount of water stored in the country’s reservoirs will be sufficient for consumption, maintaining the ecological system and the planting of big trees, but not for thirsty rice cultivation which requires a lot of water.

 

The four main reservoirs in the Chao Phraya river basin, namely Bhumibol, Sirikit, Kwae Noi Bamrung Daen and Pasak Jolasid, currently contain a combined total of 10.825 billion cubic metres of water, only 44% of their combined capacities.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-09-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

'Don't send your children to school for a while, there's a water shortage'. I know what my answer would be. Also farmers need more protection, not less. Climate change will make this worse year on year, and alternative crops need investment or involve use of harmful pesticides. Farmers who are unable to change become tenants, and the cycle of poverty continues. The old king understood this.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Without water?

less water intensive farming...

[Jelli]

I guess they're ok with production numbers and tonnage below Vietnam.

 

Price of rice is already skyrocketing on world markets. Bad advice

 

No doubt WEF guidance policy.

 

Instead of produce half the answer is produce none. Poor folks smarter than that.

 

What will farmers do if not planting that will earn money? Teen daughters on only fans? No, don't plant peasant! ????

 

It is dry, but we've yet to enter October. Also possible if monsoon pushed back we could have a rainy November.

[Jelli]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Pay them to produce nothing... great idea.
Why not produce an alternative crop of some-kind

While in principle I'm against payouts. The amount of money farmers make on rice is nothing. To provide a family sustinence is nothing especially in light of all the money wasted.

 

New tablet program

 

10k baht handout

 

Plenty of stupidity already

[Sydebolle]

Given the totally overburdened farmers with debts left, right and centre ........ 

[PETERTHEEATER]

16 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

When farmers are told to miss a harvest, the government should compensate them.

Planting tree? FFS.

Farmer Somchai...... "Skipping? Cycling? It's not exercise we want it's food!

[xtrnuno41]

Of course they need water for generating electricity, so at least compensate farmers for not growing.

People have to live and it is already not that much they have. It is not the first time about less water.

[Cult of the Sun]

On 9/15/2023 at 6:10 PM, hotchilli said:

Pay them to produce nothing... great idea.

Been going on in the US for a long time now.

[Cult of the Sun]

On 9/15/2023 at 9:58 PM, hotchilli said:

less water intensive farming...

mmm.. yummy  cactus salad. I can almost taste it.

[spidermike007]

Skip it forever. Say no to growing rice. I don't hear many good things about growing rice, and would never engage in that kind of sustenance crop growing. So many more progressive crops out there. If you take some time to convert the soil, there are so many crops that are more profitable, and better for the environment. Rice has to be at the bottom of the list. Great to eat, horrible to grow. Ensures a life of poverty for the grower. 
 

[mfd101]

Before you convert the soil, you have to convert the farmers.

 

I know of what I speak. When I arrived here in south Surin in late 2015 to live permanently near my B/F's family, I spent a fortune on earthworks for their tiny farm right next to a large lake, to build big ponds full of fish. Also geese & ducks to accompany the usual cows & chickens & 1 large pig. We also told them to stop growing rice (which they grew only for their own consumption in any case). Too hard work, we'll provide, we said.

 

All splendid for a while. People came from far & wide to buy the fish, the military came once a week to buy a goose or 2 for dinner, the new vegies (seeds introduced from Oz!) were doing well, and local government bureaucrats came to inspect this marvel of modernity.

 

Problem was that it was all a lot of hard work for the family, it turned out that they wouldn't eat the vegies themselves (their diet consists 98% of boiled white rice + chilis + fish or chicken) and they were quite unable to sell them at the local market. FIL would push a barrow thru the village selling produce but the villagers always wanted to pay next week, which of course never came ... And the fish ponds needed frequent cleanouts ... and on & on. Slowly they reverted to the past they knew too well, several of the ponds were filled in again, the geese went ("Too noisy"), and finally a (totally pointless) rice paddy reappeared ...  So capitalism doesn't work for the poor & uneducated. What they have is a way of life that keeps them poor but it's all they know or understand.

 

I now continue to support them on minimal handouts but without hope of change. Half the younger members (BILs, SILs, nephews & nieces) have disappeared off to poverty in low-skill factory jobs or cleaning maidery in BKK. My B/F has taken up cockfighting & I've retired to my library.