Cash-strapped Thai farmers forced to watch crops wither away

[webfact]

Cash-strapped farmers forced to watch crops wither away
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM,
PAKAWAN ROJANASINGSAWAD
THE NATION


A farmer in Ayutthaya province looks sad as he sees his paddy dying due to the shortage of water after the government told farmers to stop diverting water from a nearby irrigation system to their fields.

AS THE Chao Phraya River Basin runs out of water for farmland, rice farmers are running out of cash.

BANGKOK: -- Without water, farmers can do nothing but leave their plants to wither. Without crops, they have no source of certain income.

As a result, many farmers have turned to loan sharks to get money to fill their family members' hungry stomachs. This means the longer the drought crisis, the deeper they will plunge into debt.

Based on the grim weather forecasts, there is a risk the drought may drag on for years.

That would obviously be financially crippling for countless farmers as they would have defaulted on several loans.

Ubon Thepthong, director of the Lop Buri Provincial Cooperative Office, revealed that more farmers could not pay back their debt to the agricultural cooperative and they had to borrow money from the loan sharks who charged very high interest rates.

According to the records of the Ban Mi Agricultural Cooperative, the Lop Buri district is one of the hardest hit drought areas in the province, with 328 cooperative members unable to pay their debt at last count.

"Unpaid debt was as high as Bt29.8 million in July," the cooperative disclosed.

Songpon Poonsawat, chairman of the Ang Thong Council of Farmers, said between 60 to 70 per cent of farmers in the province were forced to get a short-term loans from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, while loans typically ranged from Bt50,000 to Bt100,000 as about Bt5,000 was needed per one rai of crop production.

Songpon revealed that the production rate in Ang Thong had dropped by about 70 per cent.

However, efforts are being made to relieve the farmers' financial burden.

Ubon said the Cooperative Promotion Department had ordered the Provincial Cooperative Offices to talk with the local agricultural cooperatives about implementing debt restructuring or lengthen the debt-repayment period.

The decision on whether to adopt these measures was up to each cooperative board, he said.

In another move to help farmers, the BAAC has offered to extend the debt-repayment period by a year and increase the credit line for short- and long-term loans.

The economic impact from the drought has affected not only farmers, but also businesses linked to agriculture and local economies in drought areas.

Thatsanee Pengsuwan, the owner of the Thakhao Khuean Phonthep rice mill, said the mill's income had dropped even though the rice price had increased due to low rice production.

"Now our mill is facing a rice shortage. We have to wait until we store enough rice to mill and the daily production of our mill has been reduced from 300 tonnes per day to only 100 tonnes," Thatsanee said.

"It's not only us who have been affected by the rice shortage. We have had to reduce the workforce in our mill, causing some employees to temporarily have no income.

"The local economy is also affected, as the farmers, who are major consumers, have no purchasing ability anymore because they have no income."

She also revealed that some young farmers had left home to find jobs elsewhere but the elder farmers had to endure the hardship.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Cash-strapped-farmers-forced-to-watch-crops-wither-30264794.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-20

[shirtless]

This is always sad to see, lets hope they get rain or government relief.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

[clockman]

Sad situation, but no planning or forthought in Thailand..

[bangkokfrog]

WE should not blame the farmers here as they have grown up on a diet of hand-outs and loan deferments when things go wrong to win their votes but keep them poor. We should be demanding that this government do something to restructure the farming industry and truly educate the rural population as this is the only way that Thailand will reach developed nation status. But then...

[Lunchbob]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

The process of re engineering the rice fields for other crops is difficult and requires some understanding of earthworks. People who have never done this or considered it, will need a lot of help, often including heavy machinery, but not always.

[trogers]

WE should not blame the farmers here as they have grown up on a diet of hand-outs and loan deferments when things go wrong to win their votes but keep them poor. We should be demanding that this government do something to restructure the farming industry and truly educate the rural population as this is the only way that Thailand will reach developed nation status. But then...

I would believe these farmers are truly educated when they stop rubbing trees for numbers to bet in the next lottery draw.

[bangkokfrog]

WE should not blame the farmers here as they have grown up on a diet of hand-outs and loan deferments when things go wrong to win their votes but keep them poor. We should be demanding that this government do something to restructure the farming industry and truly educate the rural population as this is the only way that Thailand will reach developed nation status. But then...

I would believe these farmers are truly educated when they stop rubbing trees for numbers to bet in the next lottery draw.

I totally agree with you here... but do we blame the farmers or government after government who have seen fit to leave them with thinking like this.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

Do you think that they wouldn't have planted crops that needs less water if it was possible ? The government have never developed substantial markets for anything else than rice, palm oil and rubber. If farmers planted crops like corn they would have a major market glut and would be stuck with products they cant sell. Its a lose lose situation for them. It is also easy to say that these farmers must develop their own markets but the majority of farmers farm on less than 10 rai and don't have the knowledge, skills and production level to develop their own markets. Without government assistance we could see many farmers losing their land. We are entering a critical phase in this countries history, if the government choose to ignore the problem or implement incorrect policies, the longterm stability of the country could be effected.

[Srikcir]

A demand-driven rice market, foreign dumping and drought are the bane of any Thai government regardless of the form of governance. The current regime has been no more successful in implementing a sustainable agricultural economy than any of the previous administrations.

The previous governments' and Junta's cash subsidies, debt forgiveness, soft loans, etc. do not SOLVE the problem, only provide short term stop-gap remedies. Other than increasing artificial rainmaking efforts and drilling wells, the Junta has no long term solutions. There seems to be no plans for regional or national water supply infrastructure, change in supply and distribution networks, mechanization and ingenuity.

Part of the problem is that the Thai governments cannot identify or refuse to recognize the barriers for a sustainable agricultural economy. Blaiming previous regimes and citing Prayut's 12 Values isn't going to save the agricultural industry. Therefore, they are currently incapable of long term solutions. Previous and current governments seem more motivated by politics to sustain their governance of the nation than by economics and science.

If Thai governments were to approach strengthening the agricultural economy from the viewpoint of "what is good for the nation" instead of "what is good for my governance," perhaps more well-rounded productive policies might arise. Politics would still play a vital role in deriving a public concensus for cooperation but it must be without the devisiveness of political oppression.

It would serve the government well to examine successful foreign models of agricultural sustainability for guidance instead of rushing pell mell to "do something." But if it ultimately comes down to insisting on Thainess in its policies, it will experience Thainess failure. If it comes down to resisting regime change, it will experience failure.

[jackanapes]

while I do have some sympathy for the farmers I often wonder why didn't they diversify instead of depending on one crop is it thai mentality ?

[canopy]

Even in good years, it's not enough to raise a family on. Government assistance, debt, and their children's income are what they get by on. Farming a 10 rai plot doesn't work in modern times and I hope this root problem is solved rather than propping up this sad lifestyle year after year.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

Do you think that they wouldn't have planted crops that needs less water if it was possible ? The government have never developed substantial markets for anything else than rice, palm oil and rubber. If farmers planted crops like corn they would have a major market glut and would be stuck with products they cant sell. Its a lose lose situation for them. It is also easy to say that these farmers must develop their own markets but the majority of farmers farm on less than 10 rai and don't have the knowledge, skills and production level to develop their own markets. Without government assistance we could see many farmers losing their land. We are entering a critical phase in this countries history, if the government choose to ignore the problem or implement incorrect policies, the longterm stability of the country could be effected.

I watched Thai TV last week and an expert from Kasertart University presented his plan for helping the small scale farmers (10 rai farms) to become sustainable, and basically the plan was to plant rice on only 2-3 rais of the 10 rai's, dig a 3 rai dam on this plot and raise Tilapia and catfish in this dam, the remaining land was used for a mix of vegetables and fruits. The dam water could also be used during dry periods to pump into the rice field.

[diehard60]

What is this his second or third crop????? Some people in the northeast have not even had 1 crop.

[billd766]

WE should not blame the farmers here as they have grown up on a diet of hand-outs and loan deferments when things go wrong to win their votes but keep them poor. We should be demanding that this government do something to restructure the farming industry and truly educate the rural population as this is the only way that Thailand will reach developed nation status. But then...

I have reached my quota of positive votes for the day.

Have another like from me.

[billd766]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

Do you think that they wouldn't have planted crops that needs less water if it was possible ? The government have never developed substantial markets for anything else than rice, palm oil and rubber. If farmers planted crops like corn they would have a major market glut and would be stuck with products they cant sell. Its a lose lose situation for them. It is also easy to say that these farmers must develop their own markets but the majority of farmers farm on less than 10 rai and don't have the knowledge, skills and production level to develop their own markets. Without government assistance we could see many farmers losing their land. We are entering a critical phase in this countries history, if the government choose to ignore the problem or implement incorrect policies, the longterm stability of the country could be effected.

I watched Thai TV last week and an expert from Kasertart University presented his plan for helping the small scale farmers (10 rai farms) to become sustainable, and basically the plan was to plant rice on only 2-3 rais of the 10 rai's, dig a 3 rai dam on this plot and raise Tilapia and catfish in this dam, the remaining land was used for a mix of vegetables and fruits. The dam water could also be used during dry periods to pump into the rice field.

I have reached my quota of positive votes for the day.

Have another like from me.

[trogers]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

Do you think that they wouldn't have planted crops that needs less water if it was possible ? The government have never developed substantial markets for anything else than rice, palm oil and rubber. If farmers planted crops like corn they would have a major market glut and would be stuck with products they cant sell. Its a lose lose situation for them. It is also easy to say that these farmers must develop their own markets but the majority of farmers farm on less than 10 rai and don't have the knowledge, skills and production level to develop their own markets. Without government assistance we could see many farmers losing their land. We are entering a critical phase in this countries history, if the government choose to ignore the problem or implement incorrect policies, the longterm stability of the country could be effected.

I watched Thai TV last week and an expert from Kasertart University presented his plan for helping the small scale farmers (10 rai farms) to become sustainable, and basically the plan was to plant rice on only 2-3 rais of the 10 rai's, dig a 3 rai dam on this plot and raise Tilapia and catfish in this dam, the remaining land was used for a mix of vegetables and fruits. The dam water could also be used during dry periods to pump into the rice field.

And did this university help to send the message that such a plan can only feed a family of 4?

What plans would they have for the next generation of this farmer with only a 5-rai plot?

[wabothai]

while I do have some sympathy for the farmers I often wonder why didn't they diversify instead of depending on one crop is it thai mentality ?

third world my friend. Forget your western "wonders".

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Sad story, but hopefully they will learn something from this and plant crops in the future that doesn't require so much water.

Do you think that they wouldn't have planted crops that needs less water if it was possible ? The government have never developed substantial markets for anything else than rice, palm oil and rubber. If farmers planted crops like corn they would have a major market glut and would be stuck with products they cant sell. Its a lose lose situation for them. It is also easy to say that these farmers must develop their own markets but the majority of farmers farm on less than 10 rai and don't have the knowledge, skills and production level to develop their own markets. Without government assistance we could see many farmers losing their land. We are entering a critical phase in this countries history, if the government choose to ignore the problem or implement incorrect policies, the longterm stability of the country could be effected.

I watched Thai TV last week and an expert from Kasertart University presented his plan for helping the small scale farmers (10 rai farms) to become sustainable, and basically the plan was to plant rice on only 2-3 rais of the 10 rai's, dig a 3 rai dam on this plot and raise Tilapia and catfish in this dam, the remaining land was used for a mix of vegetables and fruits. The dam water could also be used during dry periods to pump into the rice field.

And did this university help to send the message that such a plan can only feed a family of 4?

What plans would they have for the next generation of this farmer with only a 5-rai plot?

Planning for the next generation has not arrived here yet, but if you can feed a family of 4 that must be better than watching your crop wither away, like they are doing now.

[Cake Monster]

The farmers should have asided some money for a " NON rainy day " the same a business,s aside money for a " rainy day " in the developed world.

One day they will learn ( but TIT )

Edited July 21, 2015 by Cake Monster