Provinces in Chao Phraya river basin hit by drought
The drought in the Chao Phraya River basin's Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat and Lop Buri provinces from October until March 6 affected some 75,700 rai - nearly half of which was rice fields. It caused damage to 25,196 tonnes of rice worth Bt212 million, the head
Each year, Thailand sees about 1.3 million farming families and 8.45 million rai (1.35 million hectares) of farmland affected by flooding, while 2.86 million farming families and 2.74 million rai of farmland are affected by drought, Lersak said.
The flood damage totals about Bt6.34 billion each year while the damage from drought is about Bt727 million annually, he said.
Less rice has been planted for the 2014-15 season because of the change in government policy (end of the pledging scheme), the lower price for rice, and farmers shifting to other crops amid solid demand for sugar cane, Lersak said. But the overall amount of rice produced per rai would rise slightly because of farmers tending to their fields and sufficient rain. Less off-season rice would be grown because of insufficient water during the dry period, he said.
