Farmers in Bung Kan forced to buy water to keep their plants alive

[webfact]

Farmers in Bung Kan forced to buy water to keep their plants alive

BUNG KAN, 2 November 2015 (NNT)-Bung Kan farmers have been forced to buy water to keep their off-season rice alive as water shortages remain a problem in the province.

Many farmers in Muang district have reportedly been affected by drought that is said to have come too soon for year’s end rice growing season in Bung Kan. With their rice plants starting to produce seeds, the farmers have decided to maintain their paddies with water pumped from the Mekong River to keep them alive.

They have been buying the water under a project created to relieve the demand for water, via electric water pumps. Rice farmers are paying 65 baht per hour to have water pumped from the Mekong River to their rice fields. Rice seeds will wither if they go without water for a long period of time.

The arrival of winter, coupled with strong winds, has caused the rice fields to dry up rapidly. The farmers are likely to continue to purchase water supplies until their rice crops can be harvested.

-- NNT 2015-11-02

[canopus1969]

I thought Boss Hog said not to plant off season rice ?

[Ricardo]

This is main-season rice, isn't it ?

[billd766]

He did.

If the rice farmers are paying 65 baht per hour I hope that they get a fair price for their crop.

Equally if the crop fails I hope that they don't go to the government asking for help.

It is their risk as they did get warned before they planted.

[trogers]

Ahhh...they have just discovered that water is not free.

[apetley]

This is main-season rice, isn't it ?

Here in Kanchanaburi farmers are still growing their main season crop. In our village most planted July/Aug after the local canals were opened after being closed more than a year.

Last week they were all told the canals will not be opened again even though their crop is in need of further water and despite assurances only last month and when they planted that there would be water for this crop.

[chainarong]

Old ground re-visited , something akin to successive Administrations , until the Government of Thailand acknowledges that herein lies a major problem nothing of substance will get done until everything is so run down that it will be all too late. It is indeed interesting to note that in Western Australia , Reverse osmosis now supply's fifty percent of their water needs and the future will be recycled water , just imagine drinking water that has been through three Thai kidney's before you drink it,, its either that or instead of Rice plant gum tree's.

[Thian]

Who forced them to buy the water?

[harness]

Dry fields already at the end of the wet season. And in five months time....... with the possibility of another dry "wet season" next year forecast. Farming looks a no go zone. Millions of people are going to need new work to get food on the table.

[Ricardo]

This is main-season rice, isn't it ?

Here in Kanchanaburi farmers are still growing their main season crop. In our village most planted July/Aug after the local canals were opened after being closed more than a year.

Last week they were all told the canals will not be opened again even though their crop is in need of further water and despite assurances only last month and when they planted that there would be water for this crop.

Yes, here in Chiang Mai also, I believe this is the main crop.

Many areas of the plain were planted, and are now approaching maturity, with irrigation-water still often available at-present.

However my own village has been dry, with little/nothing in the klongs all summer, and most of the rice-fields weren't planted in July/August. Many local fishponds are also dry already, as the water-table falls, sooner than normal.

Coincidentally we have a very-green golf-course 'upstream' of us.

[apetley]

This is main-season rice, isn't it ?

Here in Kanchanaburi farmers are still growing their main season crop. In our village most planted July/Aug after the local canals were opened after being closed more than a year.

Last week they were all told the canals will not be opened again even though their crop is in need of further water and despite assurances only last month and when they planted that there would be water for this crop.

Yes, here in Chiang Mai also, I believe this is the main crop.

Many areas of the plain were planted, and are now approaching maturity, with irrigation-water still often available at-present.

However my own village has been dry, with little/nothing in the klongs all summer, and most of the rice-fields weren't planted in July/August. Many local fishponds are also dry already, as the water-table falls, sooner than normal.

Coincidentally we have a very-green golf-course 'upstream' of us.

Yes, we have two deep ponds that we can use as reservoirs for the rice if the need arises. One is virtually dry, the other barely half full and will not support a further crop. Dire straights ahead for all farmers in our area.

[shirtless]

They were warned , Thais are too optimistic , things may not always turn out roses,

[apetley]

They were warned , Thais are too optimistic , things may not always turn out roses,

In our area they were assured there was water enough for the main crop which was planted July/Aug and will be cut in December. The canals have remained firmly closed since and the farmers have been told they will remain so. They have been badly misinformed imo.

[trogers]

They were warned , Thais are too optimistic , things may not always turn out roses,

Warnings, like the rule of law, only apply to others and never to us...

[worgeordie]

This is only the beginning,the rainy season has just finished ,and already

there is a shortage of water,its a long long time until it starts to rain again

in any volume,this is a compounded effect as it has not rained as normal

for the last 3 years,up here in Chiang Mai anyway.

So fill up your tanks,check your water pumps,as I think we are going to need

them

regards Worgeordie

[rreddin]

They were warned , Thais are too optimistic , things may not always turn out roses,

Warnings, like the rule of law, only apply to others and never to us...

As I recall, the warning was in respect of the second crop. From what others have said, this appears to be the main crop. Most rice farmers in my neck of the woods only get one crop a year, which is due for harvest in December. Not all of those will get a crop this year as, for some, what rain there has been came too late to plant their crop.

[elgordo38]

This is main-season rice, isn't it ?

Here in Kanchanaburi farmers are still growing their main season crop. In our village most planted July/Aug after the local canals were opened after being closed more than a year.

Last week they were all told the canals will not be opened again even though their crop is in need of further water and despite assurances only last month and when they planted that there would be water for this crop.

Sounds like the U turn some of my old g/fs made. A sudden U turn here in the LOS is not uncommon especially among officials chasing their tails.

[Briggsy]

Isaan farmers have been buying water for their crops for decades. Some years more, some years less. Chinese traders have been plying this trade and possibly manipulating dam releases and irrigation controls for decades. It is written about in Thai text books from the 60s.

[robblok]

They were warned , Thais are too optimistic , things may not always turn out roses,

In our area they were assured there was water enough for the main crop which was planted July/Aug and will be cut in December. The canals have remained firmly closed since and the farmers have been told they will remain so. They have been badly misinformed imo.

That really sucks for them, I hate it when governments do that. Just like when I was flooded (for 6 weeks) while i was assured in 2011 that there would be no flooding. Seems you can't trust any government. I do feel for farmers who are misinformed like that. Not for the ones that plant when they are told its better not too.

They should of course compensate farmers that don't grow crops because of the drought. You cant just tell them not to plant and not help them.

[GOLDBUGGY]

Here is the Rice Farmer's Dilemma!

1) If you don't plant a Rice Crop.... you starve.

2) If you plant a Rice Crop and it doesn't rain....you starve.

3) Take out a low interest government loan to pay someone to help save your Rice Crop by pumping water, then sell your Rice at Rock Bottom Prices, which doesn't even cover your costs...then starve.

4) Plant Palm Trees for Palm Oil which requires more water than Rice, which you don't have, and takes years to mature, so during this time....you starve.

Yeah! I see some real great choices here for them to make.