Farmers To Get Cheap Land For Rice

[george]

Farmers to get cheap land for rice

BANGKOK: -- The Treasury Department will lease 200,000 rai of land to farmers for rice and biofuel-crop production in a bid to increase supply and ease price pressures, Deputy Finance Minister Ranongrak Suwan-chawee said this week.

She said by 2011, the department would lease 1 million rai to farmers, who will only have to pay Bt20 per rai annually for a three-year contract.

The department will consult with the Agriculture Ministry on the list of farmers eligible for the leases and the amount of land they can have. Previously, the department granted each farming family a maximum of 15 rai.

Farmers in Udon Thani are expected to be the first group to benefit from the government policy, she said, as state agencies have handed over land in the provinces to the department.

Most of the land is concentrated in five provinces: Kan-chanaburi, Nakhon Ratcha-sima, Surat Thani, Kalasin and Ratchaburi.

"We have to seek cooperation from other ministries in regaining the land," she said, adding much Treasury land is occupied by other state agencies.

Of 12.5 million rai, about 1 million rai has not been fully utilised and is earmarked for the leasing scheme.

--The Nation 2008-05-02

[Gravelrash]

Be interesting to see who actually gets their hands on this, poor farmers or those a little bit better connected, there again after the point scoring press release will probably never hear about it again.

[Scott]

I don't know how this is all going to shake down, but the world--being as jittery it is--especially about rice, could end up with a glut of rice.

[disgruntled]

The government should see that the poorest Thai farmers are able to get land rather than others who just happen to have money. Some farming families are farming just 3-5 rai of land. I just don't trust the gov't. I'm sure certain people connected to people in government will get the land offered. cronyism and neptotism. Sorry for being so cynical.

[geriatrickid]

Bit odd that all this land was just sitting there, unused. Usually, the most fertile lands are already in use and what is left over are lands not suitable for farming or that are important to natural ecosystem and water table maintenance. Is it possible, that in the long term, this is land that should not be used for farming?

[Gary A]

Bit odd that all this land was just sitting there, unused. Usually, the most fertile lands are already in use and what is left over are lands not suitable for farming or that are important to natural ecosystem and water table maintenance. Is it possible, that in the long term, this is land that should not be used for farming?

I have no idea why, but where we live in Loei province there is a lot of land sitting idle. We have two ten rai parcels that were abandoned. Most of that land has now been made into rice paddy. My wife decided that with so much land being diverted to cassava and sugar cane that rice is now a good choice. It appears that she made a good choice.

I have also noticed other land nearby is being made into rice paddy. I always said that if prices for farm crops came up enough, much more land would be utilized. It's simply a question of supply and demand. Why farm for nothing.

[samran]

Bit odd that all this land was just sitting there, unused. Usually, the most fertile lands are already in use and what is left over are lands not suitable for farming or that are important to natural ecosystem and water table maintenance. Is it possible, that in the long term, this is land that should not be used for farming?

I have no idea why, but where we live in Loei province there is a lot of land sitting idle. We have two ten rai parcels that were abandoned. Most of that land has now been made into rice paddy. My wife decided that with so much land being diverted to cassava and sugar cane that rice is now a good choice. It appears that she made a good choice.

I have also noticed other land nearby is being made into rice paddy. I always said that if prices for farm crops came up enough, much more land would be utilized. It's simply a question of supply and demand. Why farm for nothing.

as the economists like to say, the solution to high prices, is high prices.....

[jumnien]

Asians eat way too much rice. Obesity is epidemic. It's time to decrease the food supply before its too late!!

[samran]

not really, high rice prices make planting more rice more attractive. More to go around.

[rgs2001uk]

not really, high rice prices make planting more rice more attractive. More to go around.

please excuse my innocence, more attractive to who?

how can we be sure this rice wont be lost along with the other how many tonnes was it?

as ususal screw the poor dirt farmer while the fat cats get rich.

[samran]

not really, high rice prices make planting more rice more attractive. More to go around.

please excuse my innocence, more attractive to who?

how can we be sure this rice wont be lost along with the other how many tonnes was it?

as ususal screw the poor dirt farmer while the fat cats get rich.

whoever can plant it. Thailand isn't the only place in the world where rice is grown, you know.

[geriatrickid]

It's simply a question of supply and demand. Why farm for nothing.

A solid answer. Thanks.

And your last line - The lament of farmers everywhere, isn't it. They get paid only a fraction of the retail price, something folks like me often forget.