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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2016 6:03:53 GMT 7
MUANG DISTRICT, NONG BUA LAMPHU – In the past five years, Nong Bua Lamphu province has witnessed a five-time increase in the area cultivated in sugarcane fields. A large number of farmers are switching from growing sticky rice, the area’s traditional main crop, to cultivating sugarcane which requires the use of more chemical pesticides. Public health and agriculture experts are concerned that the spike in toxic chemical discharge is making residents sick and adversely impacting the environment. Kanja Chaduang, a 43-year-old sugarcane farmer in Pho Srisa-nga village in Nong Bua Lamphu’s Muang district has been growing rice on his 32 rai (about 12.6 acres) of farmland for decades. But in recent years, his yields have consistently declined as the area was hit hard by flash floods and severe droughts. To make things worse, the market price of rice has plummeted, leaving his family with little left over to live on. isaanrecord.com/2016/07/29/sugarcane-boom-in-nong-bua-lamphu-a-bitter-pill-for-public-health-experts/ |
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toknarok
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Post by toknarok on Sept 14, 2016 14:22:43 GMT 7
It's the same where I live in S. Buriram. Vast areas of what was previously hom malee rice have been either converted to cassava or sugar cane. With the current price of man sam palaeng (cassava) being only 1000 baht a ton it's not worth planting that crop so I expect next year even more sugar cane will be planted.
I'm surrounded by the stuff. The cane fields harbour all sorts of nasties such as snakes, and the cane itself acts as a breeding ground for mosquitoes (they breed in the water that accumulates between the leaf and the cane stalk in the rainy season).
What really burns my arse (pun intended) is the burning off that takes place after the monsoon prior to cutting. Every evening in November - January the evening sky is lit up with thousands of rai of ripe cane being burned off. Vast clouds of smoke block out the sky and there is a continuous rain of black ash falling that gets everywhere. On top of all that of course are the bloody cane trucks cluttering up the roads. Vastly overloaded (dangerous) single axle lorries churning up the already damaged (from the rains) roads.
Wish the rice price would improve so the locals would switch their crops back.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 6:08:55 GMT 7
It's the same where I live in S. Buriram. Vast areas of what was previously hom malee rice have been either converted to cassava or sugar cane. With the current price of man sam palaeng (cassava) being only 1000 baht a ton it's not worth planting that crop so I expect next year even more sugar cane will be planted. I'm surrounded by the stuff. The cane fields harbour all sorts of nasties such as snakes, and the cane itself acts as a breeding ground for mosquitoes (they breed in the water that accumulates between the leaf and the cane stalk in the rainy season). What really burns my arse (pun intended) is the burning off that takes place after the monsoon prior to cutting. Every evening in November - January the evening sky is lit up with thousands of rai of ripe cane being burned off. Vast clouds of smoke block out the sky and there is a continuous rain of black ash falling that gets everywhere. On top of all that of course are the bloody cane trucks cluttering up the roads. Vastly overloaded (dangerous) single axle lorries churning up the already damaged (from the rains) roads. Wish the rice price would improve so the locals would switch their crops back. Time to move if this consistent activity annoys you and yours. More than likely the cane farmers aren't going anywhere soon.......as sugar seems to be the new boom in particular regions.
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toknarok
Crazy Mango
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Post by toknarok on Oct 20, 2016 19:46:10 GMT 7
Oh Dear!. We have an newvbie (OK I'm one too) Telling me if I don't like it to move or eff off. I thought that this sort of attitude was restricted to the forum that we all love to hate.
No I will NOT eff off or move. I have been living in this village for thirty years now and just because certain practices around here are annoying doesn't mean I'm going to pack my bags and run. I try and tell it as it is, good with the bad.
I read ad infinitum about the problems that EVERYONE here has, not just the falangs. Should I suggest that those resident in Chiang Mai and the North "eff" off because for weeks on end they have to endure the smog from farmers burning off? Should I admonish the people resident in the Southern Provinces for complaining about the foul air that they have to endure because of the forest burnings in Indonesia?
What about the problems of those living in the Cities, should I say 'If you don't like the traffic jams - why don't you move or 'eff' off back to where you came from.
On a brighter note here in Issan the harvest has just begun. The woman in my village who runs the (illegal) lottery id the proud possessor of two combine harvesters that yesterday disappeared into the fields to do their thing. We won't see them for two months.n They'll be working 24 hours a day until the last of the crop is brought in. I don't know at this stage what price the farmers are getting for their rice, I hope it better than last year.
The wind has done a 180 and is now coming off the Chinese land mass. Cooler weather can be expected. It's almost kite flying time, strong steady North-Easters are good kite flying weather. The kite flying activities maybe somewhat subdued due to present circumstances.
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