Bangkok, March 23 – Director-General of the Department of Agricultural Extension sent officials to request cooperation from farmers in 13 provinces to refrain from second-round farming to reduce the risk of losses. If the rice lacks water ready to support farmers to grow crops that use less water instead

Kheung Yutthamdamrong, Director-General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said he had instructed officials to speed up their understanding and advise farmers not to make second crops during this dry season. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has a policy to promote rice planting no more than 2 times a year, namely in-season rice planting (May 1-October 31) and off-season rice planting (November 1-April 30), and if rice is planted again, it will be off-season. Round 2 (March 1-April 30), which will be the third round of rice planting of the year. From the situation of planting crops in the dry season on March 15, 2023, in the second round of rice cultivation, it was found that The second round of rice planting is 12.23 million rai, accounting for 90 percent of the rice planting plan. Divided into 9.61 million rai in the irrigation area, 2.62 million rai in the non-irrigated area, 1.97 million rai have been harvested and the farmers will continue to harvest. especially in the Chao Phraya basin area

Therefore, if farmers plant rice in the second round immediately Will affect the water use of the rice during cultivation and affect the amount of water costs of the Chao Phraya Basin. Therefore, the Department of Agricultural Extension asks farmers in 13 provinces, namely Rayong, Chonburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Chai Nat, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Sing Buri, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Suphan Buri Refrain from second round rice farming to maintain the water level above the Chao Phraya Dam and the irrigation system. Reduce the risk of water shortages due to insufficient cost of water Both will negatively affect the ecosystem from the invasion of salt water at the end of the Chao Phraya Basin. along with information from the press release “Entering the Summer of Thailand Year B.E. 2023 "On March 3, 2023, the Meteorological Department expects that upper Thailand will have rain close to normal. In the southern region, the amount of rain will be slightly above normal. Possible rainy conditions during late June and early July 2023 and information from the Royal Irrigation Department Regarding asking for cooperation from farmers to stop farming continuously on March 9, 2023 in order to manage water according to the plan. as well as requesting cooperation from all sectors to campaign for water-saving use. so that the amount of water available is sufficient for use throughout the season

Director General Department of Agricultural Extension added that The break in the rice field without growing rice continuously. There are benefits and benefits in many aspects, for example, reducing the risk of loss due to the death of the perennial rice plant due to lack of water. Help reduce the problem of water shortage in the overall picture of the country. It rests the soil to reduce the accumulation of diseases and insect pests on rice. Instead, farmers can grow green manure crops to improve the soil, such as hemp, fragrant beans, bush beans, Sesbania, mung beans, or other legumes. This can help reduce the production cost of using fertilizers in the next production season.

However, in case of own water source or other water source evaluated to be sufficient for growing crops that use less water Farmers can choose to grow crops that are marketable in the area, consisting of field crops such as maize, mung beans, soybeans, soybeans and peanuts, medicinal plants such as butterfly pea, lemongrass, ornamental flowers such as cut flowers, marigolds and aglaonema. Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, melons, peas, eggplants, leafy vegetables, root crops, okra, fresh corn and mushrooms. Y

Source: Thai News Agency