Farming Subsidies

[swissie]

To maintain the Farming economy/Farming community in Thailand, the Thai Government has decided to put a financial safety-net (minimum price-floor) into place for a wide array of Agri-Products grown in Thailand. Started with Rice, then Rubber, then Palm Oil. Ananas, Pappaya and Chilly Peppers next ?

Question: Can Thai-Wife (owner of the land) qualify for government assistance or does the fact that she is married to a Farang automatically exclude her from participating from such Government-Assistance Programs. (= Have Farang and Farang have ATM card) ???

Surely, this will come up at the next "Isaan Farmers Meeting", at least as a footnote.

Cheers.

[Argonaut]

To maintain the Farming economy/Farming community in Thailand, the Thai Government has decided to put a financial safety-net (minimum price-floor) into place for a wide array of Agri-Products grown in Thailand. Started with Rice, then Rubber, then Palm Oil. Ananas, Pappaya and Chilly Peppers next ?

Question: Can Thai-Wife (owner of the land) qualify for government assistance or does the fact that she is married to a Farang automatically exclude her from participating from such Government-Assistance Programs. (= Have Farang and Farang have ATM card) ???

Surely, this will come up at the next "Isaan Farmers Meeting", at least as a footnote.

Cheers.

[Argonaut]

Last year my wife got 10000 bath. 1000 a rai up to max 15 rai.

My income to thaibank is 7mill. a year. Cant see they are going to do any changes this year..

[farmerjo]

Garanteed prices is not a bad thing as it stabalizes farmers to growing the same crops instead of chopping and changing chasing higher crop values every year.

The problem with the handout system is you require chanote land and the poor farmers dont have this..

[somo]

The op is known for his mysogyny re Thai females and this question is just another reflection of it. Why on earth link farang atm cards to government agricultural policy.

I don't think the farmers meetings have footnotes or would be remotely interested in your talking about your sad outlook on life here.

[kickstart]

Garanteed prices is not a bad thing as it stabalizes farmers to growing the same crops instead of chopping and changing chasing higher crop values every year.

The problem with the handout system is you require chanote land and the poor farmers dont have this..

A good point, stabilizing farmers,if you are a rice farmer,you might not have a lot a chose,to change.

But , a guaranteed price is ok ,but when that price is above the market price, things start to go wrong.

If it could be worked, quoters would help,would help stop ,one year almost nothing ,following year almost a glut ,= low price,

We had some rain last week,now all gone, but the fields are being got ready for cassava , there's a lot more than last year,especially as caine,has had 2 bad years,

now it is 1.90bart /kg,our neighbour was saying he has low starch which he said has dropped the price, I can see 1.50 baht/kg next year, Would quoters work .?

Might even help some less wel loff farmers.

[somo]

In general I see nothing wrong with subsidising farming for the very reason you state. Farming is unlike other business in that it is by it's nature inflexible and difficult to switch out of if things go wrong.

No normal business man would invest in something where the weather can determine it a success or failure. Imagine the stock market relying on rainfall to produce gains.

Farmers need to take a long view so fluctuations level out and price stability helps them do that.

With price stability farmers can plan ahead and with financial assistance can afford to invest in fertilizer, weed killer etc thus producing a decent crop.

The trouble is without the necessary education planning and investing are almost meaningless concepts to the average small farmer in Thailand. On top of that inability of government to deliver the funds to the correct destination without most of it

ending up in some already rich guy's pocket makes the whole process impossible.

The present Gov. is handing out money directly to the farmers to try and keep them happy but maybe running out of funds as waiting times have lengthened considerably. Most of that money is used to repay other loans and get drunk. Very little of it improves the farming sector.

Edited April 5, 2015 by somo

[farmerjo]

I agree,handouts are for the few and only benefit the better off farmers.

Stable prices benefit all the farmers.

I guess thats why so many in my area have gone and stuck with sugar cane as they get factory support.

Edited April 5, 2015 by farmerjo