No cash compensation for Thai farmers in delaying rice cultivation

[webfact]

No cash compensation for farmers in delaying rice cultivation

BANGKOK: -- Farmers who were asked to put off their rice cultivation this year will not get cash compensation but will be assisted by the government in the form of farming cost and promotion to cultivate other low water use plants.

Deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula said he would propose the cabinet tomorrow to assist farmers in farming cost instead of the 1,000 baht per rai as cash compensation, as well as in promoting them to grow low water use plants.

This would not cost the government much in term of budgets as the government still have budget inn the emergency fund to support this scheme, he said.

Meanwhile Agriculture Minister Pitipong Phuengboon na Ayudhaya said latest aerial survey by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency showed rice cultivation areas rise to 4 million rai from 3.4 million rai after the government issued announcement urging farmers to delay rice cultivation.

He said the increase in cultivation areas by 600,000 rai carries high risk of total damage due to water shortage from drought.

He warned farmers not to cultivate the remaining over two million rai otherwise they will face total damage from drought.

He also said he would propose the cabinet to promote farmers to cultivate other crops that use low water, and also to suspend interest collection temporarily until new crops produces yields and generate revenues for farmers.

Source:http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/no-cash-compensation-for-farmers-in-delaying-rice-cultivat

-- Thai PBS 2015-06-23ion

[mikemac]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

[ratcatcher]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

Yes indeed, the kettle is on and it is coming to a boil.

[oneday]

Hey Mr. Deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula...you gotta do better in helping farmers put food on the table.

[Eric Loh]

Looks like the queue for cash compensation is getting longer. Rice farmers, rubber farmers, fishermen, lottery vendors, street vendors and jobless graduates. No escaping for Prayuth to bring in more populist schemes which he was against when he took power.

[kotsak]

Bovine is getting closer to the fan

[Robby nz]

I wonder what these other crops are that these people have in mind.

What are these other crops, is seed available, what fertilizer, spray if any is needed and is it available ?

Have they done any market research as to where they may be sold, processed ?

How many rai of these crops is it projected that there will be planted ?

What machinery, labor is required to plant, cultivate and harvest them ?

Is there any specialist knowledge required in their cultivation ?

What will be the lead in time be between planting and harvest, IE how long will a farmer have to wait for a return ?

Can markets absorb the quantity expected to be produced ?

What impact will an additional quantity of these crops have on the market price ?

If rains do come as hoped what impact will this have on crops planted on low lying paddy which floods in heavy rain ?

Will farmers already deep in debt want to take risks with crops they know nothing about ?

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

No its not the anti junta crowd its everyone with a brain cell. Let me explain, the government control the water in the dams. It is clear that they let too many water out and now there is a shortage. On another level the problem was caused by the present government dumping the K water tender for flood control. This tender included a water management system which would allow the government to manage floods and droughts much better. There are so many departments involved in managing water in this country that its impossible to do it correctly. This government said it will reform the country, why dont they reform the water management in the country. Strategically its the most important resource and at present its mismanaged.

Just like the previous government was held responsible for the 2011 flood this government must take the responsibility for the mismanagement during this drought. Do you know that at present 30% of the irrigation water in the country go to waste because flood irrigation is widely used. The dear great leader the other day said more water storage must be build, thats in correct, they must just assist the farmers to develop better irrigation systems that will save 30% of the water and then no new dams are needed.

Lets now look at the article. They say the farmers must not plant their crops and at the same time they say they will get no assistance from government. If you were a farmer what would you do ? If you plant you still have a chance of making some money, if you don't plant you get nothing. So the logic option is to plant. The lack of understanding farming and human nature by our dear great leader and his 10 000 dwarfs is astounding.

Remember them they took away the rice subsidy they said they will lower seed, fertiliser and chemical costs for farmers. Do your own research, but I can tell you now it didnt happen and due to this the government is losing the trust of the farmers. I might also add that +- 40% of Thai's are involved in the agricultural sector and they represent more than 40% of the voting power. Every time they lose an election the votes was bought, but this is not true. The truth is the junta like the Dems before them is pushing away voters by their total lack of understanding the majority in this country.

[bassman]

I wonder what these other crops are that these people have in mind.

What are these other crops, is seed available, what fertilizer, spray if any is needed and is it available ?

Have they done any market research as to where they may be sold, processed ?

How many rai of these crops is it projected that there will be planted ?

What machinery, labor is required to plant, cultivate and harvest them ?

Is there any specialist knowledge required in their cultivation ?

What will be the lead in time be between planting and harvest, IE how long will a farmer have to wait for a return ?

Can markets absorb the quantity expected to be produced ?

What impact will an additional quantity of these crops have on the market price ?

If rains do come as hoped what impact will this have on crops planted on low lying paddy which floods in heavy rain ?

Will farmers already deep in debt want to take risks with crops they know nothing about ?

Robby your absolutely right, talk is cheap when farmers are going to replace rice with other crops. A flooded rice paddy in a flood plain just does not have a lot of options during the rain season. Though this year's rains have been slow to come, you can bet safely that the floods and water logging are coming before end of rain season. What Thailand should spend more emphasis on is the other crops under irrigation during the dry season that can be grown in a paddy. The deputy PM shows his real ignorance on the plight of farmers and a way forward. Would be hard for any true farmer to take this man's statements seriously.

[toybits]

I can see where this is heading. YOU Kwai! Stop planting rice and eat S#@$.

[bassman]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

This is not about the junta or the anti-junta crowd. It is about a desperate class of farmers that are indebted (as most farmers world wide are) and facing a catastrophe. This drought is closing in on unprecedented. A lot of press about farmers in the central plains, but little is being said about those in the NE, let me assure you that many Issan provinces are in dire straights with water this year, not just from the dams but the monsoon is now three weeks late in coming. Rice in the flood plains needs to get up to 30-50 cm before the floods, this year for so many areas it is not going to happen. Take your politics elsewhere on this issue.

[Eric Loh]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

No its not the anti junta crowd its everyone with a brain cell. Let me explain, the government control the water in the dams. It is clear that they let too many water out and now there is a shortage. On another level the problem was caused by the present government dumping the K water tender for flood control. This tender included a water management system which would allow the government to manage floods and droughts much better. There are so many departments involved in managing water in this country that its impossible to do it correctly. This government said it will reform the country, why dont they reform the water management in the country. Strategically its the most important resource and at present its mismanaged.

Just like the previous government was held responsible for the 2011 flood this government must take the responsibility for the mismanagement during this drought. Do you know that at present 30% of the irrigation water in the country go to waste because flood irrigation is widely used. The dear great leader the other day said more water storage must be build, thats in correct, they must just assist the farmers to develop better irrigation systems that will save 30% of the water and then no new dams are needed.

Lets now look at the article. They say the farmers must not plant their crops and at the same time they say they will get no assistance from government. If you were a farmer what would you do ? If you plant you still have a chance of making some money, if you don't plant you get nothing. So the logic option is to plant. The lack of understanding farming and human nature by our dear great leader and his 10 000 dwarfs is astounding.

Remember them they took away the rice subsidy they said they will lower seed, fertiliser and chemical costs for farmers. Do your own research, but I can tell you now it didnt happen and due to this the government is losing the trust of the farmers. I might also add that +- 40% of Thai's are involved in the agricultural sector and they represent more than 40% of the voting power. Every time they lose an election the votes was bought, but this is not true. The truth is the junta like the Dems before them is pushing away voters by their total lack of understanding the majority in this country.

Excellent summation of the dire situation. The drought due to El Niño did not happen suddenly. The authority have this information and rightly so, called the Irrigation Authority to draw up a plan and submit to the NCPO. That was last year. Since then, nothing was heard of what the NCPO intend to do with the plan. The release of water from the dam was poorly managed from last year. The junta drop the ball and should take full responsibility for mismanagement. However I doubt the NACC will charge them for negligence.

[Colabamumbai]

Poppies would grow just fine, low cost, high return.

[jesimps]

Well what a surprise. No smell of revenge about this decision. Only trouble is that the junta/dem's thirst for revenge is going to trump their powers of logical thinking and then the balloon will go up big time. Reconcilliation my Toyota Aris.

[rubl]

Well what a surprise. No smell of revenge about this decision. Only trouble is that the junta/dem's thirst for revenge is going to trump their powers of logical thinking and then the balloon will go up big time. Reconcilliation my Toyota Aris.

Absolutely. The government should just handover money to the rice farmers, especially those in the NorthEast.

BTW how much rice was actually grown in the NorthEast like 20 odd years ago? I get the impression that that was mostly for own consumption rather than for Bangkok and other foreign countries. In a way sunsequent governments promoting rice cultivation and rubber wood farming caused a greater part of the current problem.

There was not much water in the past, there is not much water now.

[rubl]

This will not end well. The anti junta crowd will love it !

No its not the anti junta crowd its everyone with a brain cell. Let me explain, the government control the water in the dams. It is clear that they let too many water out and now there is a shortage. On another level the problem was caused by the present government dumping the K water tender for flood control. This tender included a water management system which would allow the government to manage floods and droughts much better. There are so many departments involved in managing water in this country that its impossible to do it correctly. This government said it will reform the country, why dont they reform the water management in the country. Strategically its the most important resource and at present its mismanaged.

Just like the previous government was held responsible for the 2011 flood this government must take the responsibility for the mismanagement during this drought. Do you know that at present 30% of the irrigation water in the country go to waste because flood irrigation is widely used. The dear great leader the other day said more water storage must be build, thats in correct, they must just assist the farmers to develop better irrigation systems that will save 30% of the water and then no new dams are needed.

Lets now look at the article. They say the farmers must not plant their crops and at the same time they say they will get no assistance from government. If you were a farmer what would you do ? If you plant you still have a chance of making some money, if you don't plant you get nothing. So the logic option is to plant. The lack of understanding farming and human nature by our dear great leader and his 10 000 dwarfs is astounding.

Remember them they took away the rice subsidy they said they will lower seed, fertiliser and chemical costs for farmers. Do your own research, but I can tell you now it didnt happen and due to this the government is losing the trust of the farmers. I might also add that +- 40% of Thai's are involved in the agricultural sector and they represent more than 40% of the voting power. Every time they lose an election the votes was bought, but this is not true. The truth is the junta like the Dems before them is pushing away voters by their total lack of understanding the majority in this country.

Excellent summation of the dire situation. The drought due to El Niño did not happen suddenly. The authority have this information and rightly so, called the Irrigation Authority to draw up a plan and submit to the NCPO. That was last year. Since then, nothing was heard of what the NCPO intend to do with the plan. The release of water from the dam was poorly managed from last year. The junta drop the ball and should take full responsibility for mismanagement. However I doubt the NACC will charge them for negligence.

Very true. The NCPO did know there was not much water last year, they knew there wasn't much this year, they should have imported water from abroad, use some of Prodprasops boat to push an iceberg or two up the ChaoPraya. Furthermore they asked farmers to be careful. Obviously as junta they should have enforced instead.

Now, let's drop all this nonsense and return to "no cash for farmers". Instead subsidy part of farming costs and promote growing less water hungry produce. Sounds about right.

[GinBoy2]

Well what a surprise. No smell of revenge about this decision. Only trouble is that the junta/dem's thirst for revenge is going to trump their powers of logical thinking and then the balloon will go up big time. Reconcilliation my Toyota Aris.

Absolutely. The government should just handover money to the rice farmers, especially those in the NorthEast.

BTW how much rice was actually grown in the NorthEast like 20 odd years ago? I get the impression that that was mostly for own consumption rather than for Bangkok and other foreign countries. In a way sunsequent governments promoting rice cultivation and rubber wood farming caused a greater part of the current problem.

There was not much water in the past, there is not much water now.

Jesus Christ, sometimes I wonder how much some of you actually know about this country. Most farms in the NE have no irrigation, unlike in the central plain, so for them the idea of suspending a second harvest is a nonsense, its all dependent on the rain, they only get one harvest a year

Not a lot of government support goes into the hole they dig in the ground next to their paddy to collect water from the monsoon, which they then use to irrigate their own land.

What part of giving them money helps with that?