Study warns of huge loss in Thai rice export value

[Mudcrab]

This is quite a complex issue. Firstly,the type of rice, production costs and weather are the big factors in yield. Thai farmers will logically grow rice that is the cheapest to produce. They don't or cannot all grow hom mali orthe better quality fragrant rice, and its production costs are higher. Where they fall down is in the marketing, which is not controlled by the farmers. Producing higher value rice fro less paddy and encouraging more alternative land useage is essential.

Thank you work workshopping the problem....now some practical answers

[selftaopath]

No wonder since most farming practices here haven't changed since the agricultural revolution, approx. around 10,000 B.C.

I live in a village in Isaan where many grow rice/sugar cane. I don't see anyone "bustin their ass." Is growing rice a part time "gig"?

Often I feel Thais want/expect the entire world to change while they muddle on .... same same.... Hell the mindset seems to be they know it all... so ...... But as the world turns/changes Thailand is in for a very rude awakening. Let's see how things go when ASEAN gets going. lol I think we can all make a reasonable guess

[Mudcrab]

No wonder since most farming practices here haven't changed since the agricultural revolution, approx. around 10,000 B.C.

I live in a village in Isaan where many grow rice/sugar cane. I don't see anyone "bustin their ass." Is growing rice a part time "gig"?

Often I feel Thais want/expect the entire world to change while they muddle on .... same same.... Hell the mindset seems to be they know it all... so ...... But as the world turns/changes Thailand is in for a very rude awakening. Let's see how things go when ASEAN gets going. lol I think we can all make a reasonable guess

Me too...but it's old time farming as it was 200 years ago in Europe.

I grow rice..and I have some spare....you grow fish/frogs... we a can do a deal. Everyone eats, nobody starves,,,,all good. Take some shit to the village shop...get some grog.

Nobody stressing over the rice futures in the NY stock exchange and a feed in the guts every night.

having a few farang bucks makes it a mighty easier agreed.

Thailand.....Love it

ASEAN won't maker any difference whatsoever...it won't be a free for all over the border invasion.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Mudcrab

[trogers]

Why is the yield of Thai paddy so low? Cost of labour and machinery forcing the use of seed scattering instead or dunking?

Since no post attempted to answer my question, I would venture a guess. Vietnamese rice yield is built on more than one harvest per year, while the 400+ kg/rai for Thailand is for one harvest.

[RobthaiIre]

I would love to know where they got the cost of production per tonne figure of 10,600 baht. I got over 6 tons last year on 8 rai and I certainly didn't spend anywhere close 60k+ on tractors, fertilizer, labout etc. maximum 20k I spent. It was all sold (Jasmine rice) and I got 100+k so I made a profit of 80k. I also grew 3 rai for eating.

These figures quoted in this article are obviously based on the growing of poor quality, low yield rice on over used land in the central plans, where most of the people do not own the land they have to lease from wealthy landlords. This article or study only reflects a certain area of Thailand and certainly doesn't reflect the NE where I am, where I can sell Jasmine rice to traders at minimum 15 baht per KG or sticky rice at 11 baht per KG.

If people are going to do these studies they could at least state where they got there calculations from as the generalize the whole of Thailand based growing rice in a certain area is highly misleading and inaccurate.

Basically this study is a load of rubbish

you got 15 baht a kilo last crop? what province?

I actually got 18.90 baht per Kilo for some of my crop last year of Jasmine rice (sold to government and had wait 6 months for payment!!!!) and 15.5 baht for jasmine as well.

Roi Et.

I am trying to make the point that Jasmine I can sell anytime for 14/15/16 baht per kilo and sticky rice I can sell for 12/13 baht per kilo. I have been living here for 6 years and I have never sold rice for less than what I stated above per kilo.

The rice that the study is based on must be ordinary inferior quality white rice which I think sells for about 6/7 baht a kilo. This is grown 2 or 3 times a year on soil that is wrecked from over use and chemical fertilisers. Up hear everybody grows sticky rice and Jasmine rice and the farms are well looked after using mainly natural fertilisers and no pesticides. This year I expect to get more rice as there has been plenty of rain all through out the rainy season.

[UDONJIM]

I Live in Issan, so can only comment about my experience here.

Every year without fail all farmers fertilise whether needed or not - soil testing is unknown.

Some seed is retained every year and used for the next planting ad infinitum leading to degradation of 'strain'.

Thai farmers are using methods that are 100 years out-of-date. The Thai government has done nothing to upgrade/modernise/inform regarding 'best' farm practices.

Here's an interesting slant (on link below) to rice production. Yes, Thai farmers are slow to adopt new ideas but when I explained the methods in the attached link to an Aussie, he told me Thai farmers had been growing rice the same way for hundreds of years and therefore it must be the best method and what did I know!!!!!!

http://sri.ciifad.cornell.edu/countries/bhutan/extmats/bhExtManual08.pdf

[trainman34014]

In 20 years there will barely be enough Paddy's left to worry about it and Thailand will be importing rice for its own population. Paddy's are being filled in and built over in ever increasing numbers owing to various reasons. not least the young people of today are not interested in land work and as soon as parents retire or die the kids sell the land to developers.