Drought, Infestation Will Slash Thailand's Rice Harvests 30-50%

[george]

RICE HARVEST

Drought, infestation will lower yield

BANGKOK: -- Widespread drought and a brown-planthopper infestation will slash rice harvests 30-50 per cent, with the second rice crop to be the hardest hit.

Although the government can control the invasion of the insect in some areas, humidity will allow the insect to migrate to other areas, particularly the North.

Total production is forecast at 31 million tonnes of paddy rice, of which the main crop is 23 million tonnes.

The Agriculture Department recently reported the brown planthopper continued to attack rice paddies in 11 provinces, down from 18 before.

Hardest hit have been Suphan Buri and Angthong provinces, followed by Uthai Thani, Phitsanulok, Lop Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Nayok, Chainat and Pathum Thani.

-- The Nation 2010-01-28

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[gotlost]

So, does this mean that the cost fo rice will increase?

[aitch52]

no got lost, it will go down duuuhhhh, supply demand and all that, sheesh the things you do to boost your post count

[xylophone]

Can they use a spray or similar to kill/control this pest???

[londonthai]

the price will go up, but still there is a surplus from the last year and some export will fall, as there would be cheaper crop from vietnam and the other countries. It won't be as bad as during fuel crisis 1.5 years ago. So far people are not hoarding and the price is stable.

[finner]

In my area (Surin), the second crop quantity this year will not be affected and may even be higher because many more farmers are planting a second crop than ever before. The big problem will be if the irrigation water runs out or if the brown planthopper expands its territory. Apparently the cause of the insects is the actual planting of the second crop which allows them to multiply.

FYI

The government is guaranteeing B15-B15.5/Kg (Hom Mali) today. International market price for this rice (Thai Jasmine) is B37.5/Kg.

The "second rice crop" the article mentions is paddy rice (Thai Long Grain White Rice 25% broken). The Thai price today is approx B10/Kg and the international price is B16.5/Kg

Edited January 29, 2010 by finner

[slapout]

Those middle men just keep socking it to the farmers and according to recent newspaper accounts the exporters even bid way low on government rice stocks for export. I wonder how many of the local buyers have direct connection with the exporters in this figging country?

[gotlost]

In Kap Choeng it was 15baht per kilo in Decenber its up to 15.50 per kilo at the moment.

[finner]

I'm after the boss to sell a bit at a time because of the current prices I see which are NOT going up. She's telling me to be patient and wait for 20 Baht again but I'm not so sure.

Regardless, she sold 7 Kasops (jute bag, about 70 Kg) yesterday just north of you (gotlost) in Prasat for 14.5 Baht after the broken discount. She needed the dough and the cheap charlie she lives with wouldn't come across.