Recent drought to trim rice planting areas to lowest in 30 years



BANGKOK: -- The decade-worst drought hitting Thai farmers recently is expected to trim Thailand's rice production and reduce farm areas for the next rice cultivation.

The Seventh Regional Office of Agricultural Economics in Chainat province reported that recent drought has affecting large tracts of the main rice producing areas in nine provinces of central Thailand.

In 2015, rice acreage was reportedly decreased 6% from last year to about 3.8 million rai.

Average yield per acre is about 1,300 kilograms (637 kilogram per rai), down 2% percent year-on-year as drought has taken its toll on water level in the four major irrigation dams leaving them to have less than 10 percent of water left for agriculture.

The 2014/2015 rice outputs may be reduced due to smaller agricultural areas projected at 3.38 million rai, down 11%, the lowest in 30 years.

Drought affected rice field would cut rice output down by 20% compared to the last harvest season.

Meanwhile the Department of Foreign Trade is set to open the 5th bidding for its rice stockpile.

Up to 668,000 tons of rice, under the rice pledging scheme of the previous government, will be put up for auction.

The bidders are required to submit tenders on August 10.

Name of qualified bidders will be announced on August 11.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/recent-drought-to-trim-rice-planting-areas-to-lowest-in-30-years

-- Thai PBS 2015-08-05

Whilst I completely understand and appreciate the need for rice in Thailand as both part of Thailand historical and customary traditions. Mother nature is no respecter of such things.

The water footprint of 1 kg of rice is 1700 liters, so a 5kg bag takes nearly 9000 liters of water to produce. When you consider that the average daily water requirement for a person in Thailand is about 100=liters a day, That equates to 17kg of rice requiring the same water resources as a single person on average uses in Thailand every year.

Maybe a less water intensive crop should be sought?

Four headlines from Thai Visa:

Recent drought to trim Thai rice planting areas to lowest in 30 years

Severe weather, flash flood warning extended to Phuket

16 Thai provinces told to brace for flash floods

Mekong's water level increases alarmingly

It looks to me that the water austerity applies only to the rice farmers.

"Recent" drought ??? Oh my are these people crazy. Just because it rained in the raining season doesnt mean the drought has been broken. The real test would be if we have enough water in February to April next year. What is also amazing is that they have stopped publicising the water dams levels in the press.