Contract Rice Growers To Japanese Market

[oldsailor35]

I have read today that the Japanese are contracting Thai rice farmers in the north, to grow tens if thousands of rai of a special rice strain which is favourable to the Japanese market. Apparently this rice is more of a short sticky type of rice than the traditional Thai long grain rice, so in very high demand for their Shushi cooking.

The big problem is that the Thai farmers are being 'ripped off' getting only about Bht 11 when they should be getting more like 20 Bht as a fair price. It seems that the japanese are laughing all the way to the bank. One would think that the Thai govt would be taking more care to protect their own farmers , unless of course somebody is getting a back hander although i dont think this could possibly happen .

Does anybody in here know anything about this seemingly "foreign rip off"

Edited April 14, 2011 by oldsailor35

[annaharryson]

wow this is really amazing.

[zzaa09]

wow this is really amazing.

No, it's not amazing. Quite true to the suppressive manner in which Thai rice farmers are "allowed" to market their ware. Rice is the most influential commodity in Thailand, where politics and free market merge. Imagine the power that rice collectives and co-ops would have here if the hard-working Thai rice farmers were to unify as a political force. Naturally, this should apply to both the domestic and foreign markets.

[mstribling]

Collectives. Great idea.

[zzaa09]

Collectives. Great idea.

Yes. And it's been attempted throughout numerous regions for decades, only to be put down by the official and unofficial rice mafias. So much for the free and open market.