Agricultural commodities, processing and products
Crop products and commodities
Thai farmers plea for debt relief if second rice crop again banned
Farmers’ leaders have called for an interest-free debt moratorium of 5-10 years if the government bans the planting of a second rice crop for the third time this year. Thai Farmers Association chairman Wichian Puanglamjiak on 22 September said if the the government asks farmers to not to plant second-crop ...
Vietnamese rubber giant makes deal with Cambodian villagers
A “major breakthrough” has been reached in discussions between Vietnamese rubber giant Hoang Anh Gia Lai and 11 indigenous communities in Ratanakkiri province that have lost land and resources to the company’s plantations. During a three-day meeting with community representatives, NGOs and its own subsidiaries, the ...
Festive period likely to boost rice prices
Rice prices are forecast to increase by as much as 10% late this year and early next year thanks to year-end festive celebrations and lower supply. Chookiat Ophaswongse, an honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said rice prices were likely to rise by 8-10% ...
Rice exports: It’s time for the “giants” to leave
Rice exports seem to be the playground of big State-owned corporations, which are able to impose unfavorable conditions on others, especially farmers. The export floor price for rice is stipulated in Decree 109/2011/ND-CP, which is determined under the guidance of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) based ...
Palm oil nut growers demand price support
Palm tree planters have again asked the government for price support to guarantee them an income equivalent to 3.38 baht a kilogramme for fresh palm nuts. Planters’ representatives gathered in the provincial hall on 15 September to make their latest demand after earlier attempts to get assistance from the ...
Tiny wasps protect rice in the Mekong
Trichogramma are tiny beneficial wasps that feed on the eggs of several pests, including stemborers and leaffolders. To help rice farmers in the Greater Mekong Region, a project was launched in 2011 to promote the establishment of Trichogramma mass production facilities and affordable and practical ...
Trees ‘felled for pepper’
Batambang’s Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary is being illegally logged for pepper posts, with brokers bribing environment officers to transport the timber, residents and NGO workers have said. Keep reading ...
Drought improves in Battambang; concerns remain
Despite improving drought-like conditions in Battambang province, farmers and rice millers alike are still concerned about yield and quality levels of rice in one of the country’s leading rice-producing regions. In last month’s report on the drought situation from the Agriculture Ministry, Battambang, along with Banteay ...
Thai rice stockpile under scrutiny
Provincial officials have 30 days to complete the inspection of rice stored at 1,800 warehouses nationwide under a deadline set by the National Rice Policy Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Keep reading ...
Farmers banned from planting ask for aid
Rice farmers in Ayutthaya are appealing to the government for social assistance after irrigation authorities requested growers in the Chao Phraya River basin not to plant any new crops because of low water levels in the four main dams. Keep reading ...
