Angry Thai farmers defy drought warnings, plant dry season rice

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Angry farmers defy drought warnings, plant dry season rice
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation
Phitsanulok



Urge govt to be more generous with aid

BANGKOK: -- FARMERS are growing a dry season rice crop - despite authorities' warnings - and have urged the government to come up with concrete policies to help rice growers during the dry season.

As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Wassana Gromtu, a farmer from Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district, sowed her dry season rice crop 15 days earlier, saying she had to disobey the RID warning because this was her only source of income to pay her debts.

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

She said the measures offered by the government did not match the farmers' needs. They wanted more substantial subsidies, such as compensation for crop failure or a debt moratorium for farmers.

"We are told to change jobs - to be workers or otherwise plant corn, vegetables or beans instead. This hurt my feelings so much. We are farmers - and furthermore, vegetables do not sell well and are cheap," she said.

Phitsanulok Provincial Agriculture Office came out with four solutions for farmers during the dry season: seek jobs as daily workers; plant less-water-consuming crops; secure training in other skills; and process other agricultural products as sources of income.

Wassana said she would still grow rice throughout the next dry season even if there were no water from the irrigation system, as she had a well in her field. However, she admitted she was also concerned the drought might make her well run dry and destroy the crop.

Another farmer from Mueng Phitsanulok district, Duean Yangthapo, said the authorities could not dictate to him whether he could plant a dry season rice crop on his land.

"Earlier this year the RID lied to us when they said they would provide the water for us, but no water has come to my field. I know there is still water available but they shut the water gate to prevent the farmers from getting it," Duean said angrily. He demanded the authorities be sincere with the farmers, as he was willing to comply with the authorities' advice if they were frank about the water situation.

"The Provincial Agriculture Office advised us to plant less water-consuming plants - but I wonder if they will provide the water for us to grow these plants after all," he said.

Duean owns 14 rai of paddy field, which will be ready to harvest next month. His field is located on the frequently flooded low-lying plain, which turned out to be beneficial during the drought.

There was still some water for the paddy field, while the other field on the high ground suffered heavily from water shortage during the earlier drought.

On the part of the authorities, Bandit Inta, head of the Phitsanulok Irrigation Project Office, revealed that RID had not ordered the farmers to stop planting a dry season rice crop. Instead, RID would inform the farmers about the scarcity of the available water and let them decide if they want to take the risk.

"By next Thursday, the RID local offices in the 3, 4, 10 and 11 districts within Chao Phraya River Basin will inform the farmers about the water situation and the relief measures," Bandit said.

"Up until November, we expected we would have only 3,677 million cubic metres of available water in the four major dams. It is very certain they will not have enough water for agriculture," he explained.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Angry-farmers-defy-drought-warnings-plant-dry-seas-30270193.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-05

[BSJ]

"Wassana Gromtu, a farmer from Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district, sowed her dry season rice crop 15 days earlier, saying she had to disobey the RID warning because this was her only source of income to pay her debts.

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

"We are told to change jobs - to be workers or otherwise plant corn, vegetables or beans instead. This hurt my feelings so much. We are farmers - and furthermore, vegetables do not sell well and are cheap," she said.
"

Something doesn't add up here! If she has 5 rai and her harvest is very good, 800kg to 1000kg a rai and she gets 6000baht/ton.....she will be losing money!

And going by the wifes expenses for growing rice now I think she is telling a porky when she says Bt40k! Tik employs contractors to plow, fertilize, spray weeds, spray hormones and harvest on 20rai and the cost so far is just over Bt50k...but we haven't paid for harvest yet. And we will be lucky to get 800kg because she haven't had enough water. The bottom 4 rai will be less than 500kg/rai. But she will still make money!

[shirtless]

I surprised she gets a yield of a tonne per rai, Like any business if you rely on the government you should reconsider the crop or the industry your in. she spends 40k to make 30k ,

[Thian]

Okay krab, from now on my family will eat imported rice or potato's. Me and my garden also need water here in BKK.

[noosard]

The whole thing is porkies

The dry season has not started

[bamnutsak]

Like any business if you rely on the government you should reconsider the crop or the industry

Agricultural subsidies are quite common in many countries. There are many different kinds, and some are more successful than others.

But I agree, just throw all these poor people into the Sufficiency Economy, and hope for the best. The days of compassion from Bangkok were brief and now long gone.

[ramrod711]

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

Do as you will Wassana, please don't complain when your crops die and you lose 40,000 baht. As for the petrol for your water pumps, it shouldn't be a huge concern, the pumps will burn out when you try to move nonexistent water. I believe the government should help the farmers in times like these...the farmers who aren't bull headed enough to ignore warnings at least.

[apetley]

The whole thing is porkies

The dry season has not started

The dry season will start later this month. The crop will mature in January but only if there is enough water supply.

[apetley]

"Wassana Gromtu, a farmer from Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district, sowed her dry season rice crop 15 days earlier, saying she had to disobey the RID warning because this was her only source of income to pay her debts.

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

"We are told to change jobs - to be workers or otherwise plant corn, vegetables or beans instead. This hurt my feelings so much. We are farmers - and furthermore, vegetables do not sell well and are cheap," she said.

"

Something doesn't add up here! If she has 5 rai and her harvest is very good, 800kg to 1000kg a rai and she gets 6000baht/ton.....she will be losing money!

And going by the wifes expenses for growing rice now I think she is telling a porky when she says Bt40k! Tik employs contractors to plow, fertilize, spray weeds, spray hormones and harvest on 20rai and the cost so far is just over Bt50k...but we haven't paid for harvest yet. And we will be lucky to get 800kg because she haven't had enough water. The bottom 4 rai will be less than 500kg/rai. But she will still make money!

Have to agree those figures are off by quite a way too. Guy who rents our 4 rai of paddy pays 1000 bht per rai, averages 600kg per rai and turns a profit.

[jaidam]

How about legalizing marijuana growing for export to the USA and other enlightened countries? Thai climate should be perfect for such an industry with farmers with minimal land also able to participate. Their earnings would increase 100 or 1000 fold. With a progressive and liberal attitude, Thailand could be a wealthy country in short order.

[MaxLee]

"As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Hello, dear RID, it's rainy season now, and many provinces are about to get wet, don't you get it????

[Oziex1]

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

Do as you will Wassana, please don't complain when your crops die and you lose 40,000 baht. As for the petrol for your water pumps, it shouldn't be a huge concern, the pumps will burn out when you try to move nonexistent water. I believe the government should help the farmers in times like these...the farmers who aren't bull headed enough to ignore warnings at least.

Ramrod don't beat up on them too much their outlook in based on poor to no education and a government increasingly indifferent to their needs.

[Assurancetourix]

"Wassana Gromtu, a farmer from Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district, sowed her dry season rice crop 15 days earlier, saying she had to disobey the RID warning because this was her only source of income to pay her debts.

"I rent five rai of paddy field for Bt1,000 per one rai of plantation. I have to invest Bt40,000 for seeds, fertiliser, pesticide, herbicide and petrol for water pumps. This is not including the daily expenses. We are farmers, so we have to plant rice as the main source of income," Wassana said.

"We are told to change jobs - to be workers or otherwise plant corn, vegetables or beans instead. This hurt my feelings so much. We are farmers - and furthermore, vegetables do not sell well and are cheap," she said.

"

Something doesn't add up here! If she has 5 rai and her harvest is very good, 800kg to 1000kg a rai and she gets 6000baht/ton.....she will be losing money!

And going by the wifes expenses for growing rice now I think she is telling a porky when she says Bt40k! Tik employs contractors to plow, fertilize, spray weeds, spray hormones and harvest on 20rai and the cost so far is just over Bt50k...but we haven't paid for harvest yet. And we will be lucky to get 800kg because she haven't had enough water. The bottom 4 rai will be less than 500kg/rai. But she will still make money!

I think she invests about 4,000 baht and not 40,000 !! It's only 5 rai, not 50

But she wants the government gives her money so she can buy the last Samsung phone ..or pay for her Toyota Fortuner .

Now we have sugar cane but before we had rice on our 9 rai ;

we never spend so much money on them .

[Thian]

"As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Hello, dear RID, it's rainy season now, and many provinces are about to get wet, don't you get it????

Hello Maxlee, they try to fill up the dams for the dry season. The more water they collect now the more there is to drink later. Don't you get it?

[wow64]

So long as there is no ban on washing cars and songkran

Sent from my c64

[robblok]

"As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Hello, dear RID, it's rainy season now, and many provinces are about to get wet, don't you get it????

Hello Maxlee, they try to fill up the dams for the dry season. The more water they collect now the more there is to drink later. Don't you get it?

I am amazed he did not get it, all the news about he dams (the big ones Sirikit and Buhmibol dam having almost no water) he must have missed it or logical thinking isn't his game.

[NickJ]

Let them make cake!!!........One would think that the farmers in one of the worlds top rice exporters would not have to go through this. This entire system is in need of a total re- vamping......Kinda like having a decent high performance race car thats kept in the barn under a tarp during off season.....

[oneday]

There should be no surprise the farmers are not going to listen to the government. That was an easy prediction.

[robblok]

There should be no surprise the farmers are not going to listen to the government. That was an easy prediction.

Give the farmers that do listen support and pay them some money as compensation, cut the ones that don't listen off and no compensation.

[louse1953]

Most Thai farmers just blatantly refuse to accept reality and will run their family into the ground and they then will blame the government after the government told them not to grow.Same as not wearing helmets,would rather get fined 10 times than wear a helmet.Haven't even got the brains to not wear a helmet on the highway and just put it on when in town,where the BIB are every day,in the same spot.Would rather hold their hand up to their eyes for an hour than buy 99baht sunnys.This is the Thai mentality and it doesn't look like changing.They only know what is passed on by the oldies who are more than likely,uneducated.A lot more kids are going to uni now and hopefully most of them will come out with some critical thinking.Can't see any of them becoming rice farmers,so the industry is in trouble in another 10-20years.

[GAZZPA]

How about legalizing marijuana growing for export to the USA and other enlightened countries? Thai climate should be perfect for such an industry with farmers with minimal land also able to participate. Their earnings would increase 100 or 1000 fold. With a progressive and liberal attitude, Thailand could be a wealthy country in short order.

Enlightened countries, I am not even going to explain to you the dangers of marijuana because it will fall on deaf ears. It is a stupid idea and will never happen, so please just crawl back into your hole and by all means keep puffing away, when you have the memory of a goldfish and the concentration span of a 3 year old then come back and tell me how good your idea is.

[GAZZPA]

Most Thai farmers just blatantly refuse to accept reality and will run their family into the ground and they then will blame the government after the government told them not to grow.Same as not wearing helmets,would rather get fined 10 times than wear a helmet.Haven't even got the brains to not wear a helmet on the highway and just put it on when in town,where the BIB are every day,in the same spot.Would rather hold their hand up to their eyes for an hour than buy 99baht sunnys.This is the Thai mentality and it doesn't look like changing.They only know what is passed on by the oldies who are more than likely,uneducated.A lot more kids are going to uni now and hopefully most of them will come out with some critical thinking.Can't see any of them becoming rice farmers,so the industry is in trouble in another 10-20years.

Only if the kids go to International University, Thai universities are not considered to be "quality" places to learn.

[DavisH]

"As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Hello, dear RID, it's rainy season now, and many provinces are about to get wet, don't you get it????

I guess you know there are only 25 days left to the rainy season? And large storms don't come through Thailand weekly. If farmers plant rice now there WILL be a water shortage for all living in central Thailand during the dry season. There is very little usable water left in major dams at this point in time. Once November arrives that it. The government should just pay higher prices for the current crop of rice to those farmers doing the right thing.

[bassman]

"The Provincial Agriculture Office advised us to plant less water-consuming plants - but I wonder if they will provide the water for us to grow these plants after all," he said.

here in lays one problem that should be fixed now by the current administration is get control of their canals. Farmers are slapping the irrigation guys around and those closer to the flow take everything as their is no regulating. Most probably no profit in policing canal use.

Take Miss Wassanu planting rice even though told not to upstream to the canal from Mr. Duean who would like to grow a less water demanding crop downstream. Mr. Duean has no chance to get the minimal amount necessary, as the rice farmers will take all the water before him.

This government has talked alternate crops since they voted themselves in and have done near nothing to make it happen. The farmers do need help but don't need to be handouts, better canals, better regulation and a real crop alternative with a market sure would go a long way in changing farm culture.

[ezzra]

Oooohu, we farmers, we good at shooting at our feet, we plant, and when we fail, be come to your

cities and besieged your main roads and stage a sit down for months, living in the asphalt,

we farmers, we know best, government should give and give and shut up, we farmers not afraid

the government we have been

like that for generations and we continue to be so, we are the clueless, most hapless farmers

in the world....

[asdecas]

How about legalizing marijuana growing for export to the USA and other enlightened countries? Thai climate should be perfect for such an industry with farmers with minimal land also able to participate. Their earnings would increase 100 or 1000 fold. With a progressive and liberal attitude, Thailand could be a wealthy country in short order.

Hell, why bother with legal niceties, look what the recent ten years of war have done for the opium poppy in Afghanistan. And back in the old Golden Triangle days, people had private armies funded by the drug trade.

Just legalise the lot, if Americans wish to consume the product while slaughtering one another with firearms on the side, I say let them. Just keep it in-country and away from me.

[Thian]

"As the dry season approaches, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has warned farmers in the Chao Phraya River Basin not to plant the dry season rice crop. They say the available water in the four major dams is not enough for agriculture. Officials suggest farmers cultivate fewer water-consuming plants - or change jobs and become labourers.

Hello, dear RID, it's rainy season now, and many provinces are about to get wet, don't you get it????

Hello Maxlee, they try to fill up the dams for the dry season. The more water they collect now the more there is to drink later. Don't you get it?

I am amazed he did not get it, all the news about he dams (the big ones Sirikit and Buhmibol dam having almost no water) he must have missed it or logical thinking isn't his game.

The fight about water has started, many poor people downriver need the water for drinking and for their crops. Every BKK-market in the subs has old grandma's selling their homegrown vegy/fruit which won't grow on salty water. Also old people might die from drinking it and not all of them are married to a rich farang who built them a big mansion (upcountry or where-ever).

Another option is the government making the riverdelta (chao praya) into the sea more narrow. Then the waterflow will increase in the narrow end so seawater can't come in that easy. Then BKK will still have sweet drinkingwater in the chao praya. But now it's too late to start that project anyway.

BKK could also start saving aircon drippingwater. It's clean and good enough for plants.

[allan michaud]

The whole thing is porkies

The dry season has not started

There wasn't much of a wet season, that is the problem and it's only going to get worse over the coming months. I am pretty sure the boys in green can't do much about El Ninio. The answer certainly is not to spend all your money planting a crop that will almost certainly fail due to a lack of water. Talk about digging a hole for yourself. Not the brightest I'm afraid. Too many farmers I see in this part of the world seem to lack any knowledge about how to look after their soil and take the easy, expensive option of throwing shitloads of chemicals at it instead. Morons. I have little sympathy.

[bangon04]

"We are farmers - and furthermore, vegetables do not sell well and are cheap," she said."

We are farmers. We have the benefit of a Thai education. We were told by our social superiors (Chinese millers and loan sharks) that subsistence farming of rice is the only way a real Thai farmer can live. So don't bring any of that farang thinking here, thank you very much.

Vegetables do not sell well and are cheap. We know that rice sells so well and is the same as printing money. That is the reason my whole family and my whole village is in huge debt and living from hand to mouth. At least my children will get exactly the same Thai education that I got. We deserve the free money because we are doing the Thai thing.

[MZurf]

Oooohu, we farmers, we good at shooting at our feet, we plant, and when we fail, be come to your

cities and besieged your main roads and stage a sit down for months, living in the asphalt,

we farmers, we know best, government should give and give and shut up, we farmers not afraid

the government we have been

like that for generations and we continue to be so, we are the clueless, most hapless farmers

in the world....

Huh?