Flaws

Let's start with the ongoing farce concerning the Thai junta doing it's best to protect farmers and consumers. One is inclined to say not.

Kicking off with the Nation (Aug. 21): 

'The calls for a ban on the use of paraquat and two other farm chemicals seen as dangerous are growing louder again, as a government-appointed panel is set to discuss the issue at its first meeting tomorrow.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha set up the panel in June to explore solutions to the problem of farm chemicals with high risks, after loud protests from environmentalists and activists who were frustrated that the Hazardous Substance Committee (HSC) had failed to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. Deputy Prime Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana chairs the panel.
“The HSC formed its decision based on a flawed executive summary,” BioThai Foundation director Witoon Lianchamroon said yesterday, “We hope the new panel will act in the best interests of people. If its opinion is the same as the HSC, we will make our moves.”
...

Research then, likewise published by the Nation (Aug. 22):

'The contamination with agrichemicals in Nong Bua Lamphu [province] remains severe according to the latest analysis by Naresuan University researchers, which found very high concentration of four prominent herbicides in soil, water, vegetables, fish and even in local tap water samples.

...

Puangrat [Assoc Professor Puangrat Kajitvichyanukul, head of the Centre of Excellence on Environmental Research and Innovation at the university’s Faculty of Engineering] said these fresh findings provided further proof that prolonged, intensive use of herbicides, especially in sugar cane plantations, has caused very serious chemical contamination in the soil, water and food. This could eventually have an adverse effect on people’s health and highlights the urgent need for the agriculture sector to switch to organic farming, she said'.

The Bangkok Post (Aug. 29) reports on a possible shift in governments stance:

'Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Wiwat Salyakamthorn has thrown his support behind a total ban on three hazardous herbicides -- paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.

...

The three pesticides are commonly used by farmers because they are inexpensive and produce quick results. However, they could have a severely adverse impact on the health of farmers and consumers as well as hurt the environment in the long run, experts have said'.

Oddly though imports have risen as the trade expects import bans'.

More research, The Nation (Sep. 10):

'The effects of widely used farm chemicals have led to at least 1,715 deaths over the past three years.

“The deaths of nearly 600 people each year are directly a result of the use of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides,” National Health Security Office (NHSO) secretary-general Dr Sakchai Kanjana-wattana said recently, referring to statistics from the universal healthcare scheme. He said such figures were compiled with clear evidence.

...

Sakchai said the danger from farm chemicals could be more extensive in reality considering the statistics compiled by his agency only focused on the direct impact.

“It’s undeniable that these farm chemicals will likely have long-term impacts on people’s health via contaminated crops and the environment too,” he said'.

The Nation (Sep. 19):

'Traces of toxic chemicals have been found in the blood of five out of every 100 farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Bua Yai district, if results from tests across 132 villages are used as an indicator'.

So begs the question why the wait? 

And where does Cambodia stand on this?

Dub
Just some marginal rice related news from Cambodia. 
The Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 10):

'Despite the Kingdom having a very young population, the economy, which depends in part on the agriculture sector, is facing a labour shortage.

Opportunities in neighbouring countries are attracting many who would have otherwise been hired in farming.

Seeking to overcome this challenge with technology, a Cambodian farmer invented a new type of rice planting mechanism dubbed “Eli”.

The tool recently won the celebrated Patents for Humanity award given out by the US government'.

The same marginal news rice-related also applies for Cambodia's neighbours.

The Thai National News Bureau (Sep. 3):

'...  a meeting of the National Rice Policy and Management Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, had approved an increase in the export quota for organic paddy and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) paddy to Europe, from 2,000 tons to 5,000 tons'.

The Bangkok Post (Sep. 11):

'The Commerce Ministry's Foreign Trade Department says it has completed its mission to clear off 16.91 million tonnes of state rice stocks accumulated from government-sponsored rice pledging schemes'.

Broke
With little to report on concerning rice, there's plenty concerning other crops.

Phnom Penh Post (Aug. 28) reports on cashew growing:

'The Kingdom’s cashew nut industry is still struggling to maintain a stable market as community representatives say relying on local brokers is hurting farmers.

Cashew Nut Association director in Kampong Thom province Chhiv Ngy said on Monday that the body is still searching for reliable buyers to ensure stable prices.

The price, he said, currently fluctuates from broker to broker and that many were buying at around $2.50 per kg.

“The current price doesn’t mean we are suffering a loss, but it we don’t make much when the price depends on local brokers. We don’t have money on hand to stock the cashew nuts,” he said'.

Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 3) follows this up with more:

'Cashew nut production in the Kingdom declined by more than 50 per cent in the three years leading up to last year, as farmers followed the market by switching to other crops, figures from the Ministry of Agriculture indicate.

Data from the general directorate of agriculture shows that Cambodia produced 295,791 tonnes of cashew nuts in 2014 with exports reaching 270,696 tonnes.

However, production and exports dropped year by year. Last year, production dropped to 142,773 tonnes with total exports standing at just 73,179 tonnes, a decline of 51.73 per cent and 72.96 per cent respectively compared to the previous three years.

...

Cashew Nut Association director in Kampong Thom province, Chhiv Ngy, said it is still searching for reliable buyers to bring price stability.

Ngy agreed that most farmers don’t understand new techniques that can help them ensure quality, which is also why they find it so hard to add value to their products.

“Some farmers harvest early, even if the fruit is not ready. Many don’t know about technical aspects and maintenance so it is hard to get a higher price."

“We prefer to push for contract farming, but until now no contract farming has been done through the association. Our products are only sold to brokers which don’t bring us a good price,” he said.

The Kingdom’s cashew nut industry is still struggling to maintain a stable foothold in the market as community representatives continue to claim that relying on local brokers is hurting farmers'.

Khmer Times (Sep. 10) reports on potential for durian:

'Local rice exporter Amru Rice is now studying the possibility of diversifying into durian production, and is considering agricultural areas in Mondulkiri to set up plantations.

The company, known for following organic agricultural principles, is now conducting studies to determine the profitability of the crop'.

Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 14) has a touristy feature on the fruits of Mondulkiri province.

More fruits. The Khmer Times (Sep. 4) on mango:

'Local firm Confirel plans to export 500 tonnes of keo romeat mango to the European Union towards the end of the year.

It will be the company’s first shipment to the EU, Cambodia’s second largest export market.

Hay Ly Eang, chairman of Confirel, said they have been working with an EU-based firm to proceed with the shipment, but said he could not disclose the name of the company.

“Keo romeat mangoes are very popular abroad,” Mr Ly Eang said, adding that the company buys mango at 3,000 riel a kilo on average'.

Abondon
Beyond fruits and nuts the Khmer Times (Aug. 28) look's at rubber:

'Despite production shortfalls in some neighbouring nations, Cambodia’s rubber output looks set to increase in 2018 due to favourable weather conditions, with the sector also benefitting from price stability.

Global rubber consumption is on the rise, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) said in its latest report, which was released on Thursday. Global demand for natural rubber grew by 5.2 percent during the first seven months of the year, reaching 8.15 million tonnes'.

Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 17) notes continued investment interest in cassava:

'The Kingdom’s agriculture products have for many years relied on exports to neighbouring markets. And cassava is among the crops with the best-earning potential for the Kingdom.

Now, plans by Hong Kong-based Green Leader to invest $150 million on a cassava processing plant could boost the industry even further. The facility in Kratie province, which broke ground in April and is set to be operational by the end of the year plans to process some 600,000 tonnes of the crop annually'.

Not all crops come with happy ends. The Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 5):

'Despite huge amounts of potential and a well-rooted past, the Kingdom’s cotton cultivation industry seems to be hanging by a thread.

Though the country relies heavily on cotton fabric in its massive garment sector, insiders say Cambodian farmers have mostly abandoned the crop'.

Voiced
An interesting article from the Nation (Sep. 17) explains banana growing in the north of Thailand:

'Two years ago, Prasat Prueangwichahorn, a Thai driver in a Chinese banana plantation in Laos, saw a business opportunity when Laos ordered a ban on new banana plantations out of concerns for the environment and workers.

...

Over the past two years, Chinese investors appear to have invaded provinces in the North, such as Chiang Rai and Phayao, to grow Cavendish bananas after the practice was banned in Laos.

Locals and NGOs, however, have voiced concerns about Chinese-run plantations using pesticides excessively and giving rise to conflicts over water.

...

...

Another interesting finding is the higher incentive offered to workers. Chinese-owned plantations pay as much as Bt300 a day to labourers, but a major share of the work is taken over by migrant workers, affecting the bargaining power of local labourers'.

So it's no wonder that the Chinese (and Vietnamese) are looking beyond Laos  where banana growing has been banned and Thailand. The Phnom Penh Post (Aug. 22):

'Vietnamese conglomerate Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) recently announced a $42 million investment to expand its banana plantation in the Kingdom’s Ratanakkiri province, said a Vietnam news agency.

The move comes two weeks after Cambodia signed an agreement with China to begin exporting the fruit to the Asian economic powerhouse.

HAGL which operates in the property, mining, hydropower and commercial agriculture sectors, owns 1,000 hectares of banana plantations in northeast Cambodia through three subsidiaries – Hoang Anh Andong Meas, Hoang Anh Pomphat and Hoang Anh Daun Penh Agrico.

With the expansion, the company will add more than 5,000 hectares to its portfolio, and aims to export to China market, said a company statement'.

Khmer Times (Aug. 23) chimes in:

'Longmate Agricuture Co., Ltd. announced that it has invested $32 million to grow bananas in 1,000 hectares of land in Kampot’s Chhouk district.

Longmate, a joint-venture between Cambodian and Chinese investors, announced its decision to invest in the local banana sector earlier this month, but did not provide specific details then.

...

He [Li Xiaoquan, Longmate’s director] said the project has create well-paying jobs with good working conditions for 300 people, who won’t need to migrate to other countries to find employment'.

Lofty promises and prospects, let's hope all involved have learnt from especially the Lao experiences.  

Kraseth (Sep. 8) on storm damage in Oudomxay province (Lao PDR) on a banana plantation.

Wrath
Slightly retarded, there's this Bangkok Post editorial (Aug. 10) which nails Thai goverment agricultural policies:

'The government's decision to pay rice farmers to shift to corn farming raises more questions than it answers.

True, rice farmers need to rethink their old ways. Amid the global oversupply of rice grain, depressed prices, high investment costs, unpredictable weather and nature's wrath from climate change, rice farming has become a losing business.

But if not rice, then what? The military government announced in March that it would fork out 1.4 billion baht in state emergency funds to pay 47,000 rice farmers in 31 provinces to grow 700,000 rai of corn to supply the animal feed industry.

Instead of growing the second crop of rice, the farmers will each get 2,000 baht for growing one rai of corn, with a maximum subsidy for 15 rai. It is necessary to reduce rice-growing areas.

But why corn? Given the notoriety of corn plantations, the government's decision to subsidise corn farming smacks of agro-giant power over the country's agricultural policy. Corn plantations in the mountainous North are responsible for widespread destruction of the watershed forests of the Chao Phraya River, the artery of the country.

Corn plantations are also the major cause of toxic haze in the North. Besides, the heavy use of toxic herbicides and other farm chemicals in corn plantations has contaminated the soils and waterways so seriously that they have made underground water unsafe and undrinkable.

It's the country's tragedy that the government still allows the agro-industry to destroy precious tropical forest just to produce cheap animal feed for export money. And while the environmental ravages remain unaddressed, the government wants to spread the corn plantations' environmental disaster to other parts of the country.

And with support from our tax money too. What is it thinking? No one can deny rice plantations in Thailand are plagued with problems.

...

Sustainable farming has become the mantra of the government's policy book. But in practice, state authorities continue to work hand in glove with agro and farm chemical giants although they make people ill and destroy the environment.

According to BioThai, an advocacy group for small farmers' rights and green farming, it is common practice for agro and farm chemical giants to hire retired high-ranking agricultural officials with inside information and close connections with the bureaucrats in power. The proxies of agro and farm chemical industries are almost always included in the cabinets of all governments.

...

According to a study by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the net income from corn farming for the feed industry is the lowest compared to other crops while net earnings from integrated farming are the highest.

Yet, the government uses our tax money to promote corn farming to help the animal feed industry. We all know why'.

Defies logic. 

Then a final word from what could be positive news. Mongabay (Sep. 20):

'Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed a moratorium on new licenses for oil palm plantations'.

Note belatedly signed.