Worry over flood impact on crops

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Worry over flood impact on crops
Published: 21/10/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: Business

Heavy floods will definitely cut the country's crop production, notably for the main rice crop that is about to be harvested, but experts say it's still too early to predict the extent of the losses.



The Thai Rice Mills Association has forecast that rice production might fall by 15-20% to fewer than 20 million tonnes, but the Thai Rice Exporters Association and others believe the losses will be less severe.

Banjong Tungjitwattanakun, vice-president of the Thai Rice Mills Association, said key growing areas in the central, northern and northeastern provinces were affected by the floods, with some mills having been inundated, damaging stockpiles.

Output from the previous main crop totalled 23.3 million tonnes, about 10.5 million tonnes of which were white rice paddy, 6 million tonnes for glutinous rice and 6.5 million for Hom Mali fragrant rice, according to Mr Banjong.

Nakhon Ratchasima produces more than 1 million tonnes of rice, he said.

However, Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the losses would not be that high, predicting a decline of only 1% - about 250,000 tonnes of paddy or 100,000 tonnes of milled rice.

Korbsook Iamsuri, president of the exporters's association agreed, saying its talks with farmers indicated that cultivation of main-crop rice this year had begun late because of rainfall delays earlier, so the harvest would also be delayed.

"Rice production would definitely be hard hit if the floodwaters remain unabated for two or three weeks," she said.

Apichart Jongskul, director-general of the Office of Agricultural Economics, said preliminary estimates show the floodwaters have inundated 2.4 million rai of rice farmlands, 60,000 to 70,000 rai of which have been ruined, representing production of about 87,000 tonnes worth 800 million baht.

Other crops such as maize, cassava and sugarcane were also put under water, covering about 280,000 rai, and fruit orchards on 32,000 rai. Estimated losses are not available.

Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut said heavy rains during August and September had inundated 53 provinces damaging about 2.7 million rai of farmland, 2.4 million of which were rice fields.

This month's heavy floods, he added, had inundated 24 provinces, with about 1.6 million rai damaged, 1.3 million of which were for rice. Losses have yet to be estimated.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/202440/worry-over-flood-impact-on-crops

[buriramboy]

Thanks for the photos.  I was driving there on that day, I will never drive again in weather like this, its a life threat with Thai drivers driving so fast in such heavy rain, I was amazed to see how they have the courage or may I add stupidity to drive like this?