Agriculture
Agricultural commodities, processing and products
Industry Ministry plans end to sugarcane burning in three years
The Ministry of Industry will propose to the Cabinet a plan to end within three years sugarcane farmers’ widespread practice of cane burning before harvesting which is largely blamed for smog problem in many areas.The plan will be incorporated into a ministerial regulation to be ...
Farm prices increase for first time in 22 months
The farm price index rose for the first time in 22 months in February, largely because of an increase in paddy price and a smaller decline in rubber prices, says the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO). Keep reading ...
Wichit Chantanusornsiri
ANALYSIS: Farmers’ rights must be priority in next try at rice bill
Following growing pressure over its intention to help farmers, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) this past week decided to amend the bill one last time in an attempt to reach compromise. But still, the bill’s content was tied up with complicated plant varieties and plant ...
Piyaporn Wongruang
Newton Fund's Sustainable Rice Initiative
Last week, Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), hosted a workshop in Bangkok on sustainable rice production.Keep reading ...
EXCLUSIVE: What went wrong with THE RICE BILL?
Legislation set for final reading coming week appears to have been gutted of measures to improve production and reward farmers for their hard work and wisdom.Everyone involved agrees that the rice bill – Thailand’s first legislation aimed at guiding holistic management of production – began ...
Piyaporn Wongruang
Rice bill critics not clued up on latest draft, says minister
Deputy Commerce Minister Chutima Bunyapraphasara tried Tuesday to placate opponents of the controversial rice bill, saying critics are mistakenly commenting on the previous draft, not the recently updated version. “Efforts have been made to present confusing and not-up-to-date information [about the bill] to the public ...
Phusadee Arunmas
Rice insurance continues
The cabinet has approved a rice insurance scheme for the 2019 season worth 1.74 billion baht, aiming to cover 30 million rai of farmland. The scheme, operated by the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), covers six types of natural disaster — floods, drought, ...
Chatrudee Theparat
Rice bill not in farmers' interests
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) made the right decision in backing down on the Rice Bill fight, removing controversial content which drew hefty criticism. It agreed to take out a contentious section that prohibits the trade of rice seeds which are not approved under requirements ...
New law will restrict traditional ways: farmers
Farmers are getting increasingly worried about the Rice Bill, which drafters claim would improve their lives, but is now causing huge controversy. Researchers and senior government officials have now joined farmers’ calls for the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to address their concerns and avoid triggering ...
The Nation Reporter
The miracle method for sustainable rice – and bigger harvests
The fragrant jasmine rice growing on the left side of Kreaougkra Junpeng’s five-acre field stands nearly five feet tall.Each plant has 15 or more tillers, or stalks, and the grains hang heavy from them. The Thai farmer says this will be his best-ever harvest in ...