BANGKOK, 25 April 2012 – The Cabinet has been updated with the latest information on the farming situation, which has been hit by severe flooding and the current drought crisis.
Deputy government spokesperson Pakdihan Himathongkam said on Tuesday that, at the weekly meeting, the Cabinet has been briefed on the scope of damages Thai farming has suffered from the current drought crisis as well as state assistance given to farmers who have been affected by the flood crisis.
As of April 23rd, as much as 1.14 trillion baht has been set aside to compensate farmers, whose seasonal rice crop has been damaged by the flood crisis. The disbursement of the state financial assistance is responsible by the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives.
Mr. Pakdihan added that the government has also distributed rice seeds to farmers, whose land was submerged in last year’s flood crisis. Official data showed that 3,161 of rice fields, belonging to 386,926 farmers, are eligible for government-sponsored seeds.
All in all, there are 10 rice-growing provinces hit by the flood problem, including Nakhon Sawan, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.
Concerning the ongoing drought, 48 provinces have been declared disaster (drought) hit areas since February 2nd.
The deputy government spokesperson stated that, out of the number, 9 are agriculture-oriented provinces and they are Chiang Rai, Nan, Phrae, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Yasothorn, Si Sa Ket, Petchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
