Planting rice or not?

[swissie]

A while ago, the government advised rice farmers in drought affected areas not to re-plant rice for the time being.

In your neck of the woods, how do rice farmers react to this "recommendation"?

By not planting, how would farmers compensate for the lost revenue?

Cheers.

[Pormax]

I live in rural Thailand, Isaan area where the ground is not much use for anything else but planting rice, and only once a year

The problem that I see is that the fate of the farmers are in the hands of the almighty.

Where some people have water shortage, here in our village we have had a fair amount of rain over the last 3 days and now the rice is so wet

the villagers can only sell for 8Bt a Tonne. How one can live on growing rice beats me.

My wife and her family have a reasonable amount of land on which they grow rice but in my opinion it is a lot of hard work for very little return.

The amount one is paid for rice has dropped considerably over the last two years especially now there is no government subsidy.

One has to pay for the Kubatar & driver to prepare the land, keep some rice to re-sow. Buy fertilizer and then pay for a machine to cut the rice, pay for transportation to take the rice to sell.

Then they have to keep some rice back for the family to eat for the year.

After all this, the amount of money farmers make is very low indeed and unless one has say in excess of 1000 Rai, definetely not enough for a family to live off.

There are many in our village who want to sell their rice land. My wife asked me if I wanted to buy and I have said No as the money one makes is not worth the hassle.

Unless one lives in a village where rice is the main crop for them, one does not understand the plight of the farmers.

There is no compensation available to farmers if the weather effects them.

[Jip99]

I live in rural Thailand, Isaan area where the ground is not much use for anything else but planting rice, and only once a year

The problem that I see is that the fate of the farmers are in the hands of the almighty.

Where some people have water shortage, here in our village we have had a fair amount of rain over the last 3 days and now the rice is so wet

the villagers can only sell for 8Bt a Tonne. How one can live on growing rice beats me.

My wife and her family have a reasonable amount of land on which they grow rice but in my opinion it is a lot of hard work for very little return.

The amount one is paid for rice has dropped considerably over the last two years especially now there is no government subsidy.

One has to pay for the Kubatar & driver to prepare the land, keep some rice to re-sow. Buy fertilizer and then pay for a machine to cut the rice, pay for transportation to take the rice to sell.

Then they have to keep some rice back for the family to eat for the year.

After all this, the amount of money farmers make is very low indeed and unless one has say in excess of 1000 Rai, definetely not enough for a family to live off.

There are many in our village who want to sell their rice land. My wife asked me if I wanted to buy and I have said No as the money one makes is not worth the hassle.

Unless one lives in a village where rice is the main crop for them, one does not understand the plight of the farmers.

There is no compensation available to farmers if the weather effects them.

The plight you refer to is exacerbated by the fact that many/most 'farmers' have borrowed money against the current harvest.

Less than a month ago a large mill was offering 14 Baht per kilo (not tonne!) and now it is offering 10 Baht. Most rice does not attract the full price because of impurities.

Similar prices last year and it is a 'no-brainer' to sit on the rice for 4 or 5 months and expect a 30/40% increase in price obtained. That is a huge difference and much better than trying to trim a few Baht off input costs. Unfortunately, many Thais want immediate cash so they can pay back loans.

[khwaibah]

I live in rural Thailand, Isaan area where the ground is not much use for anything else but planting rice, and only once a year

The problem that I see is that the fate of the farmers are in the hands of the almighty.

Where some people have water shortage, here in our village we have had a fair amount of rain over the last 3 days and now the rice is so wet

the villagers can only sell for 8Bt a Tonne. How one can live on growing rice beats me.

My wife and her family have a reasonable amount of land on which they grow rice but in my opinion it is a lot of hard work for very little return.

The amount one is paid for rice has dropped considerably over the last two years especially now there is no government subsidy.

One has to pay for the Kubatar & driver to prepare the land, keep some rice to re-sow. Buy fertilizer and then pay for a machine to cut the rice, pay for transportation to take the rice to sell.

Then they have to keep some rice back for the family to eat for the year.

After all this, the amount of money farmers make is very low indeed and unless one has say in excess of 1000 Rai, definetely not enough for a family to live off.

There are many in our village who want to sell their rice land. My wife asked me if I wanted to buy and I have said No as the money one makes is not worth the hassle.

Unless one lives in a village where rice is the main crop for them, one does not understand the plight of the farmers.

There is no compensation available to farmers if the weather effects them.

The plight you refer to is exacerbated by the fact that many/most 'farmers' have borrowed money against the current harvest.

Less than a month ago a large mill was offering 14 Baht per kilo (not tonne!) and now it is offering 10 Baht. Most rice does not attract the full price because of impurities.

Similar prices last year and it is a 'no-brainer' to sit on the rice for 4 or 5 months and expect a 30/40% increase in price obtained. That is a huge difference and much better than trying to trim a few Baht off input costs. Unfortunately, many Thais want immediate cash so they can pay back loans.

14 baht is for old rice, last years crop. 10 baht is this years crop cut now sell now. Bothe prices are before grading. At 10 baht the average farmer in the area may see 9 baht kg.

[farmerjo]

Is there any futures trading here for rice,ie lock in x amount of kilo's at a certain price months in advance.

I must say the price isn't that bad compared to other grain commodities.

Rice is only planted once a year in our area.

Edited November 11, 2015 by farmerjo

[chiang mai]

There's a couple of hundred acres of rice paddies outside my front door, all are laying fallow. The last crop was harvested about two weeks ago but we're betting they wont replant. Mae Rim Chiang Mai.

EDIT to add: normally three to three and a half crops per twelve months here.

Edited November 11, 2015 by chiang mai

[khwaibah]

There's a couple of hundred acres of rice paddies outside my front door, all are laying fallow. The last crop was harvested about two weeks ago but we're betting they wont replant. Mae Rim Chiang Mai.

EDIT to add: normally three to three and a half crops per twelve months here.

You had the water up there thats why the 3 crops per year. Now you have no water and the price of rice is sinking fast.

[isanbirder]

More and more rubber is being planted over much of Isan. Apparently this gives a better overall yield, but you have to wait for a few years before any money starts coming back.

[khwaibah]

More and more rubber is being planted over much of Isan. Apparently this gives a better overall yield, but you have to wait for a few years before any money starts coming back.

And at the price of rubber there using the trees to make charcoal.

Edited November 11, 2015 by khwaibah

[khwaibah]

Why rubber is NO GOOD and being made into charcoal. 19.29 kg yesterday. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/467163-rubber-trees/page-124#entry10065266

[isanbirder]

More and more rubber is being planted over much of Isan. Apparently this gives a better overall yield, but you have to wait for a few years before any money starts coming back.

And at the price of rubber there using the trees to make charcoal.

I know someone who is very happy with what he is making from his rubber trees (selling rubber, not charcoal!).

[khwaibah]

More and more rubber is being planted over much of Isan. Apparently this gives a better overall yield, but you have to wait for a few years before any money starts coming back.

And at the price of rubber there using the trees to make charcoal.

I know someone who is very happy with what he is making from his rubber trees (selling rubber, not charcoal!).

I know a lot more that aren't and can show you the thousand of trees not being tapped.

[isanbirder]

Some obviously make money, and some don't.

The difference? I would guess, economy of scale, and having someone with rubber planting experience.

[khwaibah]

Some obviously make money, and some don't.

The difference? I would guess, economy of scale, and having someone with rubber planting experience.

Frang with deep pockets.

[Robert24]

A while ago, the government advised rice farmers in drought affected areas not to re-plant rice for the time being.

In your neck of the woods, how do rice farmers react to this "recommendation"?

By not planting, how would farmers compensate for the lost revenue?

Cheers.

planting if you have access to water

[Nomyai]

Whats the big deal. The govt n farang subsidize the farmers. Its a scam.

[khwaibah]

Whats the big deal. The govt n farang subsidize the farmers. Its a scam.

Not this year the farang is on his own.

[Robert24]

My guess is that the government will help again similar to last time, I.e. Per rai, with max, to whoever is growing it. They just approved it for rubber, I think soon they will do rice as well.

[Dakling]

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

[passedout]

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

Would you mind to elaborate a bit on that? If one has 20 rai of land and paid 1.6M baht for it and gets two crops of rice per year what kind of net return (percentage wise) is one likely to see? Net return assuming labor cost of 300 baht a day in planting, harvesting and take the rice to the local warehouse. Also to consider some rice to sow for the following year but not rice for family needed. Also can wait out and get better price after the rush sale.

Cheers

[chiang mai]

The last crop of rice has just been harvested here, several hundred acres of it outside my door, after that the klongs went dry for a week. Two days ago they started to flow again like there's no tomorrow, so maybe the farmer is going to plant another crop, stay tuned.

[Issangeorge]

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

Would you mind to elaborate a bit on that? If one has 20 rai of land and paid 1.6M baht for it and gets two crops of rice per year what kind of net return (percentage wise) is one likely to see? Net return assuming labor cost of 300 baht a day in planting, harvesting and take the rice to the local warehouse. Also to consider some rice to sow for the following year but not rice for family needed. Also can wait out and get better price after the rush sale.

Cheers

Okay I think the average yield is about 400 kilos a rai, so one crop should give about 8000 kilos, if you can get ฿10 a kilo (maybe if you wait it out) that will give you about ฿80,000, minus about ฿30,000 for planting and harvesting, ฿50,000 times two crops ฿100,000 so about 6.25% if all goes well. Doubt if you could do better than that, unless you squeezed in a third crop. Edited November 20, 2015 by Issangeorge

[passedout]

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

Would you mind to elaborate a bit on that? If one has 20 rai of land and paid 1.6M baht for it and gets two crops of rice per year what kind of net return (percentage wise) is one likely to see? Net return assuming labor cost of 300 baht a day in planting, harvesting and take the rice to the local warehouse. Also to consider some rice to sow for the following year but not rice for family needed. Also can wait out and get better price after the rush sale.

Cheers

Okay I think the average yield is about 400 kilos a rai, so one crop should give about 8000 kilos, if you can get ฿10 a kilo (maybe if you wait it out) that will give you about ฿80,000, minus about ฿30,000 for planting and harvesting, ฿50,000 times two crops ฿100,000 so about 6.25% if all goes well. Doubt if you could do better than that, unless you squeezed in a third crop.

Thanks for the breakdown Issangeorge. That doesn’t sound too bad at all considering there’s not much else around giving you such a return now and days even outside the farming industry! I’ve heard that sugar cane is paid well these days but that’s third hand information.

Farmers are saying that are getting paid less and less every year for their rice but the price of the rice in the shops isn’t any lower than it used to be and the perception I get is that of more and more hungry people being around. Once again it seems that all the profit is going to the middlemen and end retailers and the ones doing the hard work get the least reward. Nothing new there then!

[Issangeorge]

I believe an enterprising person who grew organic Jasmine Rice, and perhaps that black rice, and milled it themselves, or at the local village mill and packaged it themselves as family grown organic rice, and then drove through the wealthier areas of the provincial towns and sold it, they could do quite well. Would have to be Thai of course.

[Assurancetourix]

Most of the major crop prices are down including rubber, cassava/tapioca/man sapalang, rice, etc. We only grow rice for the families consumption on a small bit of land that is no good for anything else. Most farmers here now try to do a rotation where they do a 5 month rice crop when rainy season starts and then 7 months of cassava on the same land in dry season. Yields are poor for both but it keeps the land busy year round and they do make about double what they would off only one crop.

We have rubber and cassava, if I didn't have people who needed work I would only do the cassava as it is about the same money with no 5-7 year waiting period. If I didn't already have the land I wouldn't even think of farming these days. If you factor in the price of the land you can't even meet inflation on farming returns these days.

Would you mind to elaborate a bit on that? If one has 20 rai of land and paid 1.6M baht for it and gets two crops of rice per year what kind of net return (percentage wise) is one likely to see? Net return assuming labor cost of 300 baht a day in planting, harvesting and take the rice to the local warehouse. Also to consider some rice to sow for the following year but not rice for family needed. Also can wait out and get better price after the rush sale.

Cheers

Okay I think the average yield is about 400 kilos a rai, so one crop should give about 8000 kilos, if you can get ฿10 a kilo (maybe if you wait it out) that will give you about ฿80,000, minus about ฿30,000 for planting and harvesting, ฿50,000 times two crops ฿100,000 so about 6.25% if all goes well. Doubt if you could do better than that, unless you squeezed in a third crop.

Here in our little village, not far from Sawang Daen Din - Sakon Nakhon province; we have/had about 200 kg for one rai without fertilizer; only manure from our cows .

I said many times to my wife it's better to buy rice at the supermarket than to grow it ; less expensive !

I had to show to her on a paper what she had to spend all along the year and what she has at the end after the rice came back from the milliner ....

Now she believes me when I speak about money and culture;

We have transformed, beginning of this year our rice fields in sugar cane fields..

and we will have more money than we can can hope with rice;

we will buy our rice from one of her brother who have a big rice plantation;

he is living 100 meters from our house ..

But never forget that many people, men and women, in E-San all working in Taiwan or Japan or Korea or Middle-East ;

my son is working in Taiwan and has an income of about 25,000 baht/month; he send money every month to her wife and her mother.( my wife );

My neighbour is working in Korea , coming back every three years for about 40 days holidays, but has a good income so he bought, last year, a new Isuzu truck .

E-San people aren't so poor as many people believe ...

[passedout]

I believe an enterprising person who grew organic Jasmine Rice, and perhaps that black rice, and milled it themselves, or at the local village mill and packaged it themselves as family grown organic rice, and then drove through the wealthier areas of the provincial towns and sold it, they could do quite well. Would have to be Thai of course.

Maybe we’re a bit off topic so apologies to the OP.

Interesting thought! How would you market it and sell it though?

The like of Villamarket, Tops and probably other supermarkets seem to have cornered the market showing a good amount of wholegrain organic rice all colours and all shapes on their shelves.

“and then drove through the wealthier areas of the provincial towns and sold it”

The first image that came to mind after reading that line was the one of Thai people selling long-on or other fruit from the back of their truck while driving along.

I guess that’s not the thought you were trying to convey though…

[passedout]

Here in our little village, not far from Sawang Daen Din - Sakon Nakhon province; we have/had about 200 kg for one rai without fertilizer; only manure from our cows .

No pesticides either? Just curious...

[Issangeorge]

Passed out, that is exactly what I meant, keep it simple, keep the middlemen out, keep the profits for yourself. That's why I said you would have to be Thai, but I think an enterprising Thai person could do okay.

[Issangeorge]

Assurancetourix, I am curious, does the sugarcane grow okay in the rice paddies, I wouldn't think it would like the wet feet during the rainy season. Also does anyone know if bamboo would grow in rice paddies?

[Assurancetourix]

Bamboo, I don't know;

but our sugar cane is now nearly 4 meters high and very beautiful;

we will cut it next month

Last year, there were rice here and now, sugar cane

Olympus TG 860 - f/5.1 - 1/320* - ISO 125 - 39 mm - november 22 nd 2015 at 07.31 am