Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary concerned over mega rice farm project in Kalasin

  

KALASIN, 22 August 2016 (NNT) – Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara has inspected the operations of the mega rice farm center in Kalasin province, under the concern that the drought from the lack of rain could affect the mega rice farm. 

The mega rice farm project is located in Noan Soong subdistrict, Yang Talat district, Kalasin province. The project includes 196 participant farmers operating with the support from relevant government units to effectively reduce their production costs, and encourages the use organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers. To tackle the problem of weeds in their rice fields, the farmers were using Trichoderma harzianum instead of chemical weed control. 

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce said that the project had reduced the farmers' while increasing their produces' value. She reported that the ongoing drought, caused from a lack of rain during this period could affect rice production, and suggested that farmers to contact the Bank for Agriculture and Agriculture Cooperatives for an insurance of their produce.

 

-- nnt 2016-08-22

near burri ram the nice green rice fields are turning yellow with a lack of rain. was a great start to the wet season but has turned dry again. have to feel sorry for the farmers who invested time and money into crops they will probably not see any return.

If the crop is failing then one must doubt that insurance  will be available at this stage.

 

If the crop is failing as a result of government led policies, whether to do with "collectivisation" or the use of particular weedkillers then the government should step up to the mark and recompense the farmers whose incomes have suffered as a result of those policies.

 

Perhaps they should bear in mind that if they wish to "reform" agriculture, and as a result of this scheme farmers suffer, any further "reforms" will become more difficult to initiate.

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by JAG

" If the crop is failing as a result of government led policies"   "caused from a lack of rain" 

Sounds a lot like a cooperative.. and that is a good thing then the farm can get better prices and have more power in negotiating with the rice mills. In theory its a great idea (unless too many bureaucrats take their cut)

13 minutes ago, halloween said:

" If the crop is failing as a result of government led policies"   "caused from a lack of rain" 

 

I never suggested that it was the government's  fault that there was a lack of rain, I did suggest that the government should act if the problems were caused by practises which they had required or suggested.

 

I realise that you think that I am a prat - well I have an equally low opinion of you, which probably does not come as a surprise!  Your caustic one liners however would have more effect if you read the post to which they respond!

 

18 minutes ago, halloween said:

" If the crop is failing as a result of government led policies"   "caused from a lack of rain" 

 

Pick a god, any god you like from this list, and file your complaint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rain_deities

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, robblok said:

Sounds a lot like a cooperative.. and that is a good thing then the farm can get better prices and have more power in negotiating with the rice mills. In theory its a great idea (unless too many bureaucrats take their cut)

You're right about the potential benefits  of cooperatives, but you're also right about the problems  with beaurocrats getting  involved.

 

In my neck of the woods a couple of years ago there was a scheme to grow cucumbers "out of the rice growing season" for a dealer who had access to markets in Japan. The scheme was heavily backed by the local Agriculture Ministry ( I am not sure but I suspect at provincial level). Certainly they were present at all the meetings, especially  when contracts were signed. It doesn't take a huge leap of imagination to assume that there was something in it for them.

 

When the crop was harvested the buyer suddenly would only pay a significantly lower price than agreed. Take it or leave it.  The men from the ministry? Nowhere to be seen, not answering the phone, too busy to see the farmers who went to them. A lot of people lost money, and any attempt to operate any sort of cooperative programme around here again would be met with derision. 

51 minutes ago, robblok said:

Sounds a lot like a cooperative.. and that is a good thing then the farm can get better prices and have more power in negotiating with the rice mills. In theory its a great idea (unless too many bureaucrats take their cut)

Your right and in the end they serve at the whim of ole mother nature. If she does not shake her booty and make it rain all is for naught. 

2 hours ago, JAG said:

You're right about the potential benefits  of cooperatives, but you're also right about the problems  with beaurocrats getting  involved.

 

In my neck of the woods a couple of years ago there was a scheme to grow cucumbers "out of the rice growing season" for a dealer who had access to markets in Japan. The scheme was heavily backed by the local Agriculture Ministry ( I am not sure but I suspect at provincial level). Certainly they were present at all the meetings, especially  when contracts were signed. It doesn't take a huge leap of imagination to assume that there was something in it for them.

 

When the crop was harvested the buyer suddenly would only pay a significantly lower price than agreed. Take it or leave it.  The men from the ministry? Nowhere to be seen, not answering the phone, too busy to see the farmers who went to them. A lot of people lost money, and any attempt to operate any sort of cooperative programme around here again would be met with derision. 

That is the problem here.. and you said a couple of years back.. that would make it during a government you liked (not making it political.. just pointing out that nobody really cares for the farmers). Just shows that nobody really cares here about the farmers. Too bad they did not have enough proof to go after those ministry guys and after the buyer. 

 

Problems with a cooperative is that you need people you trust in charge and (i have to be negative) a lot of Thais are often only thinking about themselves and would not think twice to screw other members of the cooperative over. That again is a result of the lax laws here about these kind of things and the way people with money can buy themselves out. Rule of law is something that should be better here. You can have all the laws in the book but if those who enforce them can be bribed.. what good are they.

 

Corruption is the single biggest problem here.

50 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is the problem here.. and you said a couple of years back.. that would make it during a government you liked (not making it political.. just pointing out that nobody really cares for the farmers). Just shows that nobody really cares here about the farmers. Too bad they did not have enough proof to go after those ministry guys and after the buyer. 

 

Problems with a cooperative is that you need people you trust in charge and (i have to be negative) a lot of Thais are often only thinking about themselves and would not think twice to screw other members of the cooperative over. That again is a result of the lax laws here about these kind of things and the way people with money can buy themselves out. Rule of law is something that should be better here. You can have all the laws in the book but if those who enforce them can be bribed.. what good are they.

 

Corruption is the single biggest problem here.

 

Well, December 2014 to March 2015, so not during the time of the previous government , (which I would say I preferred rather than liked), but that is probably irrelevant

 

However yes it was corruption at the base of it. The dealer was just plain cheating the growers ( which included my wife and others in her extended family ). The corruption was, and here I speculate, paying  the men from the ministry to endorse and help set up the scheme and then disappear when he pulled the scam. Cheating and corruption, yet again the "little people suffeted", and their voices were ignored. 

 

The result, as you identify, is that the "little people", having been shafted so often by those who are supposed to serve them, trust no one and will inevitably shun any scheme which promises to benefit them, regarding it as just another scam. Returning to the OP and my subsequent post, #3,,  that's why I suggested that if the losses are a result of the authorities policies or suggestions then they should make good the losses.

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by JAG

Just now, JAG said:

 

Well, December 2014 to March 2015, so not during the time of the previous government -, (which I would say I preferred rather than liked!)

 

However yes it was corruption at the Base of it. The dealer was just cheating the growers ( which included my wife

and others in her extended family ). The corruption was, here I speculate, paying  the men from the ministry to endorse and help set up the scheme and then disappear when he pulled the scam. Cheating and corruption, yet again the "little people suffeted", and their voices were ignored. 

 

 

The result, as you identify, is that the "little people", having been shafted so often by those who are supposed to serve them, trust no one and will inevitably shun any scheme which promises to benefit them. Returning to the OP and my subsequent post, #3,,  that's why I suggested that if the losses are a result of their policies or suggestions then they should make good the losses.

Funny seems we both seem to think there is no good government just one we prefer over an other (by no means we like it)

 

Yes sounds like corruption, probably set up from the start like this. Were there any contracts ? 

 

Your point 3 I agree if it was forced on by the government and because of the goverment they should get their money.

 

But a cooperative is a good thing for the little farmers. But to find someone to run it honestly (and is capable enough) might be a hard thing. The little farmers really should unite like that to have more voice and power when buying and selling stuff. 

12 minutes ago, robblok said:

Funny seems we both seem to think there is no good government just one we prefer over an other (by no means we like it)

 

Yes sounds like corruption, probably set up from the start like this. Were there any contracts ? 

 

Your point 3 I agree if it was forced on by the government and because of the goverment they should get their money.

 

But a cooperative is a good thing for the little farmers. But to find someone to run it honestly (and is capable enough) might be a hard thing. The little farmers really should unite like that to have more voice and power when buying and selling stuff. 

No I don't, the think there were any contracts as such - my impression was that the dealer gave his word, in the presence of the officials, guaranteeing a certain price for as many cucumbers as could be produced. I suppose that as the officials were involved the farmers took him at his word. I was not involved - the farm is Best Beloved's empire. I copped the fallout though!

 

We all know about corruption  in the police, military and politics, but it extends through every level in this society, and as Farangs many of us don't notice it. It irks the ordinary people though, of that I am sure.

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by JAG

3 minutes ago, JAG said:

No I don't, the think there were any contracts as such - my impression was that the dealer gave his word, in the presence of the officials, guaranteeing a certain price for as many cucumbers as could be produced. I suppose that as the officials were involved the farmers took him at his word. I was not involved - the farm is Best Beloved's empire. I copped the fallout though!

 

We all know about corruption  in the police, military and politics, but it extends through every level in this society, and as Farangs many of us don't notice it. It irks the ordinary people though, of that I am sure.

 

Hmmm ok no contracts.. that makes things a lot harder (and easier for the guy who ripped off the farmers). But i think even with contracts they might have been worded in a way to offer him room. Anyway sad tale.

 

I think everyone who does not benefit from corruption gets irked by it. I have seen corruption when i was with my ex.. government officials would get a certain budget and would ask an invoice for that budget of a travel company but then pay less. (and a few more people took their cut) resulting that the travel of ordinary people was a lot less luxurious and had to be economized on many things resulting in the guides getting the problems.

 

I am against corruption because it just removes the whole equality in the laws and rule of law does not work when there is too much corruption. The fact that the roads are dangerous here is because people can buy their way out of offences and going though a red light is just a mild fine (if they even want to catch you). 

Can farmers cut out the Thai government and sell their product directly to foreign markets or are they forced into the government's control at some point? I guess I expect someone in BKK to get a cut of their hard work.

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by Alive

15 minutes ago, Alive said:

Can farmers cut out the Thai government and sell their product directly to foreign markets or are they forced into the government's control at some point? I guess I expect someone in BKK to get a cut of their hard work.

Nothing is holding them back to do so. Nobody in BKK is expecting a cut.. but its quite hard to penetrate foreign markets if your small scale and cant produce consistent quality and quantity. If the farmers set up their own cooperation they might be able too. But its something that is also not without problems.

12 hours ago, JAG said:

 

I never suggested that it was the government's  fault that there was a lack of rain, I did suggest that the government should act if the problems were caused by practises which they had required or suggested.

 

I realise that you think that I am a prat - well I have an equally low opinion of you, which probably does not come as a surprise!  Your caustic one liners however would have more effect if you read the post to which they respond!

 

How do you introduce an agrarian reformation without some small farmers being squeezed out by competition? So farmers don't like it, so what? Farming is a business, and should be treated like any other.

BTW I did read your post, and the OP, where the problem was clearly stated. sSomething you chose to ignore in your rush to attribute the problem to government policy.

7 hours ago, Alive said:

Can farmers cut out the Thai government and sell their product directly to foreign markets or are they forced into the government's control at some point? I guess I expect someone in BKK to get a cut of their hard work.

 If you produce thousands of tons of rice, you can deal with foreign markets. If you produce far less than that, you deal with a local agent, who is entitled to be paid for his efforts. Where does government control; come into it, except in your imagination?