SURIN, 19 August 2012 – Drought has hit 17 districts in Surin province. Jasmine rice paddies have been adversely affected by the long gap between rainfalls, which has lasted over 2 months.
The rice saplings, mostly jasmine rice, which were planted using the conventional sowing method, have seen a negative impact from the lack of rainfall. At total of 1.5 million rai of jasmine rice plantations throughout Surin have been affected.
Royal rainmakers have quickly worked to seed clouds to produce rain over the province. Farmers of Mai Dong Yen village, in the Phanon Dong Rak district of Surin, have been unable to wait for rain, and have turned to planting rice in holes they have dug into the ground. The holes are made by pushing a pointed stick into the earth. Once the holes are made, rice saplings are placed in them, and the holes are filled in with soil.
Farmers have noted that the drought this year is extremely severe.
