BANGKOK, 6 August 2015, The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has indicated that, despite the recovering situation in various parts of the nation badly hit by drought, a large number of agriculturalists won’t be able to generate the same level of production as last year.
According to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya, recent rainfall in several provinces enabled agricultural operations to resume in regions outside the irrigation zones, saying however that water shortages remain common in many areas.
Regarding the government’s policies on distributing water to rice farms, the minister stressed officials would prioritize farmlands with rice already planted for eight months or longer. He said the water distribution policies will be reviewed after the planting season is over.
Minister Pitipong also disclosed the ministry would maintain its schedule for water releases from major dams and continue to conduct cloud seeding operations until the year’s end. The royal rain making operation would shift its focus from providing water for agricultural purposes to replenishing reservoirs.
