CHAINAT, 24 April 2015 – Off-season rice farming areas in four provinces along the Chao Phraya River has fallen to a 20-year low, according to the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE).
Rice paddies in the provinces of Lopburi, Singburi, Chainat and Angthong have shrunken to a total area of 410,000 rai, due to a ban on off-season farming by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to mitigate the drought crisis.
The ban is in effect from November 2014 to April 30, in order to ensure sufficient water supplies for consumption, environmental conservation and agricultural purposes during the dry season.
The OAE revealed a drop in rice yields in the four provinces corresponding to a 72 percent decrease in agricultural land use from last year. Other factors that affected the yield were cold temperatures and pest problems.
However, the OAE disclosed that the ban on off-season farming has saved enough water for cultivation in May, adding that some farmers in the four provinces can resume cultivation activities.
