Thai Govt plans rice production hike

[Admin]

Thai Govt plans rice production hike 
Bangkok Post: 11 May 2010
Govt plans paddy production hike

Thailand plans to annually produce at least 30 million tonnes of rice paddy under the government's new strategic plan, which runs from 2011 to 2015.

Twelve rice varieties could be added over the next five years to the current 97 strains.

This marks an increase from the current output of 29 million tonnes of paddy each year.

The country would increase its national rice cultivation area to not more than 62 million rai from the 57.5 million set in the strategic plan which ends this year.

The Agriculture and Co-operatives Ministry, responsible for production policy, has drafted several programmes to help accelerate paddy production and farm income, said permanent agriculture secretary Yukol Limlaemthong.

The first programme would promote research and development into new rice strains that are resistant to plant diseases and insect infestations caused by climatic changes, he said.

Mr Yukol estimates 12 new rice varieties will be added over the next five years to the current 97 strains.

Production technologies will be improved to reduce the quantity of chemical fertilisers used for growing rice, which would in turn reduce farm production costs.

The ministry also aims to increase rice-paddy yields by at least 10% from an average 457 kilogramme per rai, up to 679 kg in the best-case scenario.

To reach that target farmers are being encouraged to apply new farming methods that comply with Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) and use water more efficiently.

Mr Yukol said that the ministry would operate rice community centres nationwide to help farmers conform with GAP rules. These methods should help farmers slash production costs by about 15% throughout the five-year programme.

Zoning will be applied to promote local premium-quality rice strains, such as fragrant Hom Mali rice in the Northeast, to strengthen the geographical identity of rice.

Mr Yukol said that the Rice Department has been instructed to survey farmer incomes over past years so the government can help improve their future earnings.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/37144/govt-plans-paddy-production-hike

[Lourens]

Good news indeed. I hope that this new plan will work out for them and ensure a better future for the rice farmer.

[swimming pizza]

this year they started to make 2 crops also. hope it works out for them, with the draught weather and small sources of water its gonna cost them.

[somchai]

I'll probably never live long enough to witness such a unified co-operative, but there is a movement afoot by Thai rice farmers towards a more equatable local/regional "RICE COLLECTIVE/CO-OP".