Lack Of Rain Again

[bannork]

This time last year I started a thread bewailing the lack of rain in the Ban Dung area north-east of Udon,I said at the time I'd love it if the thread quickly became irrelevant- and it did, the rains fell soon after, all the way to the end of October.

And now it's the same again, some folks haven't been able to plant rice yet, whilst others have rice stalks dying on their raised land.

I just hope this thread becomes irrelevant very soon too.

[farmerjo]

Maybe you need to look at an alternative crop or a shorter season variety of rice.

Here in phuphaman (khon kaen) we average 55-60 inches a year with opening rains at songkran and falling through to middle of october with little rain after till april again.

Out of interest what would your annual rainfall be?

Anyhow hope the rain comes soon for your area and everyone gets a crop in..

[Foreverford]

Maybe you need to look at an alternative crop or a shorter season variety of rice.

Here in phuphaman (khon kaen) we average 55-60 inches a year with opening rains at songkran and falling through to middle of october with little rain after till april again.

Out of interest what would your annual rainfall be?

Anyhow hope the rain comes soon for your area and everyone gets a crop in..

I've got a better idea take your next crop put it in your pleasure boat or fishing boat and take it into a big body of water and sink it then never fish or farm again and you'll be miles ajhead. we got everything in last year as was just able to survive the drought because of a new water retention irrigation system I started to get together everybody eklse saw their crops dry up and ended up having to plant and incur all the same costs sgaisn. The rains finally fell and everybody's crop flourished....... of course the floods came just shortly before harvest and everything was under nearly two meters of water somehow our crop survived but nearly all the other people lost it all again. Our yield was so pitifully low that I didn't eeven weigh it in one of the farms. Our very late planted crop managed to survive better and produce better (on higher ground). this year we were flooded out so we couldn't plant anywhere near the royal planting day (May 13th?). In Si sa ket they haven't had any rain to speak of so far this year so who knows when to plant. We got sstuck having to plant a bunch by hand and once that happens you start to kiss your profits goodbye. Same as last year as we had do a lot of harvesting by hand and good bye profits. Last year an el nino meaning no rain this year is an el nina meaning lots of rain and boy did we have it at the Burriram Surin border now over a month and not a drop and things getting real sticky on the non-irrigated plots. There just is no profgit in hand planting unless you are in the specialty market or only growing for home use. If you don't hand plant then sow the crops early get rid of you leveesa and level the plots and if you lose a crop just disc it up and plant again only problem is the torrential rains that will keep you out of your pl;ot and then make it impossible to scatter your seed after a couple days of downpours. No easy solution to pollution or timing in dryland farming of rice. Frequently Figuring on a Ford Forever

[Mosha]

I wish I could send you ours. In 6 weeks in our area of Ranong we have had less than 10 days of rubber tapping in 6 weeks

[Foreverford]

I wish I could send you ours. In 6 weeks in our area of Ranong we have had less than 10 days of rubber tapping in 6 weeks

Been there a few times and have never seen it without rain coming down. Frequently Falling Fluid with Fords Forever

[Mosha]

Just checked the figures, so far more than half the annual rainfall for Ranong. 1.8m plus to-date.

[Foreverford]

Just for Gets and shiggles it's been about two months with no rain of any kind of substance really only two days of light rain in Lavia. Burriram. This was after deluges earlier that totally destroyed the early planting plans. Irrigated stuff is now waist high but other higher crops are being cut back and very infested with weeds. FF

Edited August 8, 2011 by Foreverford

[jamescollister]

You can have my rain, don't think we have had a day when it didn't rain for 2 months. luckily we still have been able to tap a lot of the time, as the tappers sit and wait for the rain, then run around and collect the rubber. Take is down, but we are OK. Jim

[Mosha]

Now past 2/3rds of a 3,300 mm average. A wet month and a few more left.

[jamescollister]

Now past 2/3rds of a 3,300 mm average. A wet month and a few more left.

This is usually our big wet time coming, roads blocked etc. Just seems a longer rain period this year. Raining now, not heavy but raining. No rubber again. Jim

[Foreverford]

Now past 2/3rds of a 3,300 mm average. A wet month and a few more left.

This is usually our big wet time coming, roads blocked etc. Just seems a longer rain period this year. Raining now, not heavy but raining. No rubber again. Jim

Well we got some rain yesterday but no gully washer but they said it was a ''good'' rain but not a great one. So it will keep things alive but won't be what we wish or need. Things don't look good our way just like last year before we got flooded out a bit later. time will tell but Jim please send down any that you don't want and bill me what you wish and I'll square up with you at Issan Aussie's in Sept. ff

Edited August 12, 2011 by Foreverford

[AA1]

Well we got some rain yesterday but no gully washer but they said it was a ''good'' rain but not a great one. So it will keep things alive but won't be what we wish or need. Things don't look good our way just like last year before we got flooded out a bit later. time will tell but Jim please send down any that you don't want and bill me what you wish and I'll square up with you at Issan Aussie's in Sept. ff

Problem with farming in Thailand is that we are basically monoculture farmers (rubber or pigs or rice or tappioca! etc.) so are either Happy or Depressed by the weather.

I used to live in the East of England (Norfolk/Suffolk) where most farmers were mixed farmers - obviously cereals plus sugar beet, rape, kale, etc. and maybe cattle, pigs and pheasants! Whatever the weather was like most were usually gloomy (except when he got cheque in for what was sold!). Occassionally you would find one surveying his farm over the gate with a smile on his face as well as a bit of straw hanging out of his mouth. He was the one who always looked at what the weather would benefit rather than what it was bad for.

Sadly we do not have that choice - it's either right or wrong.

At present we do grow some rice as well as rubber as it keeps my wife happily occupied, along with other things, until our rubber can be tapped next year (JC can confirm this if he comes in December!!). We finally got right weather for paddying our rice about 2 weeks ago. All perfect EXCEPT it stopped raining!!!! Now we could do with it.

Next year when starting to tap, then I will be delighted it if doesn't! Sorry for you JC.

See you next month to chat.

Anthony.

[AA1]

p.s.

Sorry disturbed by my wife as we had to go out to friends.

I had meant to finish by saying for the sake of contrary weather would that make us prefer to go back to our places of origin, whether England, Australia, USA or where have you, rather than the 'joys' of living in Thailand!!!! "Always Think of the Bright Side of Life".

I am very happy here even if we have dry rice!

Anthony.

[jamescollister]

Got hit about 5 hours ago with one really good thunder storm, haven't seen rain like it for 2 or 3 years. No power of course and flash flooding. Still raining, but down to just rain, powers back. Willing to bet have 200 or 300 rubber cups floating down river to the sea by morning. Never a dull moment. Jim

[bannork]

I'm happy to say that,for at least the Bandung area, this thread has become irrelevant for the second year in a row. Not long after starting it, the heavens opened and things have remained that way since.

Thank you Thai Visa, may your rain making powers long remain.

[Mosha]

We are finally on a regular tapping schedule, 1st 2 months of the rainy season were a write off.

[IsaanAussie]

I for one am happy with the current rains. Enough to soak the ground without the knee deep stuff we normally get. Knock on wood. It would be so nice to have rice that hasnt lodged, just for once... please...