Drought in Isaan batters many areas, incurs losses of crops

[webfact]

Drought batters many areas, incurs losses of crops

KHON KAEN, 11 November 2014 (NNT) – Several provinces, including Khon Kaen, Si Sa Ket and Uthai Thani, are suffering from winter drought conditions while farmers have been told to avoid planting off-season rice.

Upon winter’s arrival, severe drought has been reported in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen, especially in Nam Phong district. Heavy damages from shortage of water have been inflicted on paddy fields while the presence of morning dew is adding to the farmers’ plight as it tends to cause fungus on rice grains. Many farmers have opted to cultivate sugarcane instead of rice.

In Si Sa Ket, the Provincial Office of Agriculture and Cooperatives has conferred with related agencies on the preparations for this year’s drought, which is expected to be more threatening than in previous years. Ad-hoc centers will soon be set up in each district to oversee water management, provide advice and guidance for local agriculturists and facilitate rainmaking operations.

Meanwhile, the Irrigation Office in Uthai Thani has indicated that the water levels at local dams and reservoirs are still below normal. The situation has prompted the authorities to stop the discharge of water to agricultural areas and farmers have been instructed to refrain from off-season cultivation completely.

The office is planning to employ over 300 local farmers to dredge irrigation canals for a period of 45 days as a way to provide them with supplementary income this winter.


-- NNT 2014-11-11

[thequietman]

It's not like this is a surprise. The same thing happens every year. They try to squeeze in another crop at the end of the rainy season and take their chances. What is it they say about people who continue to do the same thing over and over again but expect different results.

[Costas2008]

It's not like this is a surprise. The same thing happens every year. They try to squeeze in another crop at the end of the rainy season and take their chances. What is it they say about people who continue to do the same thing over and over again but expect different results.

May be they were infected by this virus?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/775546-virus-that-makes-humans-more-stupid-discovered/

[Toknarok]

Quite the opposite in Southern Buriram. Late rains have flattened about 10% (my estimate) of the crop, this means that those areas will have to be reaped by hand as the combine harvesters cannot pick up flattened stalks. This area is a single crop area, they don't try to get an extra planting.

[KhunBENQ]

I don't agree that this "happens every year".

We have a dramatic deficit in rain this year as many parts of Thailand.

My fourth season in Thailand and definitely the dryest year.

Ane here there is never a second crop.

No idea where in Isan this is possible.

The family has switched over to sugarcane already starting 2012, much less rice, mainly for own consumption.

The landscape has changed.

And yes, Buriram ("lower right") is one of the exceptions.

See this chart, it shows the deviation from normal rainfall since 1 Jan up to yesterday (10 Nov).

We have between 300 and 500 mm rainfall missing:

Edited November 11, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[kamahele]

Does sugarcane use less water than rice? I can remember when a flight attendant in Hawaii, we used to tell people (back when sugar cane was king) that it took 2 years and 2 million gallons of water to produce one pound of sugar. Massive amounts of water were diverted in Hawaii to feed the sugar cane fields that are just now being reverted to their old routes to feed other crops such as the Hawaiian staple of Taro.

[anon467367354]

I wonder what's caused the change? The first I noticed this in Thailand was

about 3-4 years ago.

[manzan]

I wonder what's caused the change? The first I noticed this in Thailand was

about 3-4 years ago.

Indeed, one of the expected horrible effects from geo engineering is droughts in SEA. Same in California. Yet the program continues without public debate, to apparently combat the (lack of)global warming

[JohnDodd]

A second rice crop is possible in Isaan. They do two crops around Ampur Khosumpisai MH Sarakarm as the river chee is close by.

[SilverBeast]

Wow, Someone posts about chemtrails and the tin hatter accusations didn't come out. Just normal calm discussion about the matter...wow.

[Si Thea01]

I wonder what's caused the change? The first I noticed this in Thailand was

about 3-4 years ago.

It's called Mother Nature and natural climate change, not the BS one that is being forced upon everyone byt fraudsters and scaremongers.

[MeMock]

Issan is a big place. Headline is very misleading. Southern Ubon provence has seen way too much rain all season and even today when they are trying to salvage half a harvest another downpour set them back.

[KhunBENQ]

Issan is a big place. Headline is very misleading. Southern Ubon provence has seen way too much rain all season and even today when they are trying to salvage half a harvest another downpour set them back.

Why misleading.

"Drought in Isaan batters many areas".

If you look at the chart one might find "many" quite appropriate.

South eastern part of Isan (Buriram, Ubon) is the exception.

Edited November 12, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[SunsetT]

I wonder what's caused the change? The first I noticed this in Thailand was

about 3-4 years ago.

It's called Mother Nature and natural climate change, not the BS one that is being forced upon everyone byt fraudsters and scaremongers.

Just keep your head stuck up your own arse and dont give a shit about the consequences to be borne by future generations.

[plachon]

Issan is a big place. Headline is very misleading. Southern Ubon provence has seen way too much rain all season and even today when they are trying to salvage half a harvest another downpour set them back.

Why misleading.

"Drought in Isaan batters many areas".

If you look at the chart one might find "many" quite appropriate.

South eastern part of Isan (Buriram, Ubon) is the exception.

From your chart, I would say southeastern (most of Ubon & part of Sisaket), southwestern (parts of Buriram & Surin), central ( most of Mahasarakham & Kalasin), and northeastern (most of Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Nongkhai) Isaan have experienced above average rainfall this year. Everywhere else has had below average rainfall, but this does not necessarily prove drought. "Drought" depends upon many factors, not just rainfall. There are also several definitions of "drought".

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Rice crops are doing well in CM, I can see no storm damage, klongs are full.

1/2 are already harvested, 1/2 still to be done.

Edited November 14, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican