Stifled

The Guardian (Oct. 26) has an extensive article on the recently published Golden Rice: The Imperiled Birth of a GMO Superfood by Ed Regis:

'Stifling international regulations have been blamed for delaying the approval of a food that could have helped save millions of lives this century. The claim is made in a new investigation of the controversy surrounding the development of Golden Rice by a team of international scientists.
Golden Rice is a form of normal white rice that has been genetically modified to provide vitamin A to counter blindness and other diseases in children in the developing world. It was developed two decades ago but is still struggling to gain approval in most nations.
“Golden Rice has not been made available to those for whom it was intended in the 20 years since it was created,” states the science writer Ed Regis. “Had it been allowed to grow in these nations, millions of lives would not have been lost to malnutrition, and millions of children would not have gone blind.”
...
“The effects of withholding, delaying or retarding Golden Rice development through overcautious regulation has imposed unconscionable costs in terms of years of sight and lives lost,” Regis concludes.

It looks like a great article in PR and up til now, the publication has received very little critique. It is also totally uncharacteristic of what Guardian normally publishes. Is their more balance?
Especially the claim that millions of lives have not been saved seems to be an exaggeration. Blaming others for the delay seems to bypass the central question. Why is big business so interested in pushing this (as the blame is placed with governments and NGO's)? Not self interest?

In Foreign Policy (Oct. 17), author Ed Regis discusses his own publication and emphasizes:

'This was Golden Rice, the fruit of nine years of research, experimentation, and development. The “gold” was in fact beta carotene, a substance that is converted into vitamin A in the human body. Conventional rice plants already contained beta carotene, but only in their leaves and stems, not in the kernels. Golden Rice also carries the substance in the part of the plant that people eat. This small change made Golden Rice into a miracle of nutrition: The rice could combat vitamin A deficiency in areas of the world where the condition is endemic and could, thereby, “save a million kids a year.”

A review (Oct. 3) from eea - John Hopkins University (the publisher):

'It is also true that Greenpeace had criticized and denounced Golden Rice, mocked and ridiculed it as an unrealistic, impractical, and even a dangerous foodstuff. Over the years since the prototype version was announced, Greenpeace had issued a practically endless stream of press releases, position papers, and miscellaneous other statements about Golden Rice that were filled with factual inaccuracies, distortions, and wild exaggerations of the truth. I learned, however, that none of these diatribes had done anything to stop, slow down, or interfere with the process of Golden Rice research and development, which proceeded at its own steady, albeit deliberate, pace.
Nor was Greenpeace guilty of mass murder or “crimes against humanity.” For even if their accusations against Golden Rice had the effect of retarding its development (which in fact they hadn’t), those accusations were not intended to cause harm, much less death, whereas murder is above all an intentional act'. 

This blog has highlighted much of the what was wrong with Golden Rice:
August 2018 citing GRAIN:

'Aside from its low content, the beta-carotene in Golden Rice also shows degradation. A study in 2017 shows that Golden Rice retains 60% of its original beta-carotene levels after 3 weeks of storage and just 13% after 10 weeks. A researcher notes that after 75 days, one has to eat as much as 32 kgs of cooked Golden Rice just to get the same amount of beta-carotene in a single carrot'.

December 2018 citing GRAIN:

'While these pro-GR groups keep tagging the Golden Rice detractors as ‘vandals’, they also continue to take for granted the realities of hunger that these farmers and the Asian peoples are experiencing on a daily basis. Our countries are blessed with bountiful resources to feed our population, but poverty and social inequalities stop people from procuring safe and nutritious food. Golden Rice will never solve VAD [vitamin A deficiency] and will only strengthen the status quo, benefiting only those interested in controlling our nations’ agricultural sector.

The real crime against humanity is committed by the pro-Golden Rice camp by peddling a GM product that is not tested nor proven to be safe. In fact, this can turn into a situation where the ‘medicine’ is worse than the illness it intends to cure.

Golden Rice is a techno-fix to malnutrition and a corporate ploy to control our agriculture. It is not needed by Asian people nor the world. Indeed, the solution to hunger and malnutrition lies in comprehensive approaches that ensure people have access to diverse sources of nutrition. Securing small farmers’ control over resources such as seed, appropriate technologies, water and land is the real key to improving food production and eradicating hunger and malnutrition'.

May 2017 citing GRAIN:

'A recent study made by scientist in India showed that the derived lines of Golden Rice produced phenotypic abnormality and poor agronomic performance making it unfit for commercial cultivation'.

December 2016:

'Looking at how Nobel prize winners were drawn into declaring their support for genetically modified organisms the oneworld (Nov. 7) article's author comes to some revealing disclosures. 

Though this saga has been highlighted earlier on this site, let's start with part of the article's intro:

'In June this year it hit the newspaper headlines. More than a hundred Nobel laureates call upon Greenpeace to immediately cease their resistance to genetic modification (GM). In specific the environmental organization was blasted for it's campaign against so-called “Golden Rice”, a genetically engineered rice variety 
...
Regulatory barriers for GM-technology should therefore be eased, the letter urges, and calls on “governments of the world“ to make this happen'.

The article reveals 

• That Greenpeace does not "frustrate" the work of IRRI on Golden Rice,
• that Greenpeace were not allowed to defend themselves at a press conference in Washington D.C., being refused entry by a representative of a PR firm who was formerly head of Monsanto's corporate communication,
• the same person also provided public affairs guidance to the Nobel winners,
• the same representative is a fixer between industry and scientists which seek to discredit organic food industry,
• with this in mind there is apparently a target list of well-known / influential GMO doubters,
• that the leader of Nobel Laureates efforts in this cause has a private stake in allowing wider acceptance of GMO's'. 

And we could look further back: November 2014 , May 2014, January 2014 and  October 2013. Just a few postings on the subject. 

More info from Stop Golden Rice Network. 
So there's enough to suggest a more balanced view is required.

Kind
Let's look more at the kingdom's rice issues.

Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 30) takes a look ahead:

'The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) has committed to raising the Kingdom’s rice exports to one million tonnes by 2022, its president Song Saran said on Wednesday. 
The comment was made at the Strategic Plan 2020-2023 Consultation Workshop, which was attended by CRF members, ministry representatives, government agencies and international stakeholders.In an effort to attain its goal, the CRF will export 35 per cent of its rice to the Chinese market, 30 per cent each to Europe and Asean countries, and five per cent to other markets said, Saran. 
Of that, luxury fragrant rice will account for 30 per cent of its exports, regular fragrant rice 40 per cent and regular rice 30 per cent, he said'.

Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 5) currently:

'The price of premier jasmine paddy is showing signs of stability as post-monsoon harvest season begins, insiders have said.
The harvest season of Phka Romduol – a variety of Cambodian premium rice – began about a week ago in some provinces such as Pursat, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Battambang, and will end late next month or in early January.
Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) vice-president Chan Sokheang on Tuesday said the price of Phka Romduol is currently between 1,100 and 1,200 riel ($0.27 and $0.30) per kilogramme – a slight increase from last year.To promote rice exports, the CRF has urged all its members to stock up on Phka Romduol paddy, he said, adding that “this kind of paddy is in high demand on the international market”. 
Milled Phka Romduol rice sold on the international market may fetch $880-$900 per tonne, Sokheang said'.

Other marketing aspects. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 31):

'Cambodia is campaigning to boost its luxury fragrant rice exports to China, the world’s largest market, said Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) vice-president Chan Sokheang on Thursday. 
Sokheang told The Post on Thursday that the CRF plans to achieve the quota that China provided Cambodia – 400,000 tonnes of rice per annum. 
The CRF has committed to exporting one million tonnes of rice globally by 2022, with 35 per cent to the Chinese market, of which 30 per cent is luxury fragrant rice, 40 per cent regular fragrant rice and 30 per cent regular rice. 

Sokheang said the federation’s campaign aims to boost fragrant rice exports to China and make up for a decline in exports to Europe'.

Khmer Times (Nov. 15) has more on China: 

'China imported 40 percent more rice from Cambodia from January to October this year over the same period last year, according to government data'.

Award
Across the eastern border, Vietnam is celebrating. Vientnamnews (Nov. 13):

'Việt Nam’s organic rice from Sóc Trăng ST24 was crowned the best in the world at The Rice Trader (TRT) World Rice Conference 2019 in Manila, the Philippines, on Tuesday. 
This is the first time Vietnamese rice has been awarded this title'.

Cambodia has won this a couple of times in the past, it exemplifies how also the Vietnamese are seeking to up their product.
Much to chagrin of Thailand. Bangkok Post (Nov. 18):

'Rice traders are calling on the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives to prioritise the development and improvement of rice varieties after Thailand's signature jasmine rice, Thai Hom Mali, failed to win the World's Best Rice award for a second year.
Vietnam's ST24 rice won this year's award, while Cambodia's premium fragrant rice, Malys Angkor, won the honours in 2018.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of Thai Rice Exporters Association, said missing the award twice in a row indicates that their rivals have been continuously working on developing their product'.

Of course for every upside there's a downside. This from Thailand's the Nation (Nov. 5):

'Thai rice is in trouble, with the price of 5 per cent Broken White Rice and sticky rice being very low, Thai Rice Mills Association president Kriangsak Tapananon said. New jasmine rice in the beginning of the season will be earmarked for export, and the old rice will be consumed in Thailand, he added.
...
“In the highly competitive global market, our competitors have chosen to offer lower prices to attract buyers,” he said.
“To tackle this, we need to maybe recheck the whole rice export system,” Kriangsak said. “However, to do this by looking back at the market tendency, quantity, and price direction, the main problem is inevitably the production cost”.
Kriangsak said that to deal with the current market situation, the quantity of rice per rai should be increased to meet market demand, while new markets should be found for all kinds of rice.
It is also questionable whether the government’s policy of providing support only to the production sector including rice farmers is sufficient enough to help the entire rice trading system'.

The Nation (Oct. 23) looks at the overall market prospects for Thai produce:

'Rice exports are expected to reach between 8 million and 8.1 million tonnes this year, falling short of the target of 9 million tonnes, Thai Rice Exporters Association honorary president Chookiat Ophaswongse said this week.
That would make rice exports in 2019 lower than last year by 3.5 million tonnes.
Rice exports during the first nine months totalled 5.9 million tonnes, a reflection of the fierce competition from other countries'.

And then there's this. Nation (Nov. 5):

'Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sreeon has ordered the Department of Agriculture, the Rice Department and the Department of Agriculture Extension to look for a way to control an outbreak of rice blast disease scourging northeastern provinces.
The article mentions acreages of more than 50,000 ha affected'.

The Nation (Oct. 31) looks at market prospects in the Philippines for Thai rice:

'Keerati Rushchano, an inspector-general at the Commerce Ministry and acting director-general of its Department of Foreign Trade, said this week the Philippines had suspended implementation of an import protection measure that would have adversely affected Thai rice.
...
Thailand exported 543,344 tonnes to the Philippines in the first nine months of 2019, down 297,812 tonnes or 61.65 per cent year-on-year'.

Coconuts (Nov. 12) looks with more detail at the Filipino market for rice (imports?):

'The Philippines is the world’s number one importer of rice, surpassing even China, according to a new report released by the United States’ Department of Agriculture. The USDA-Foreign Agricultural Services (USDA-FAS) report, released on Nov. 8, shows that 3.1 million metric tons of rice were imported by the Philippines this year, compared to China’s 2.5 million metric tons. 
... 
In March this year, the government implemented the Rice Tarrification Law, or Republic Act 11203. The law removed import restrictions, leading to a greater amount of rice bought from overseas flooding the market. This move, according to experts, prompted local rice prices to plunge to PHP38 (US$0.75) per kilogram as of the end of September, 17 percent lower than last year’s price of PHP46 (US$0.90) per kilogram. However, prices failed to hit the government’s promised low of PHP27 (US$0.5o). 
The Philippines is also a major grower of rice, producing some 20 million tons a year, raising questions as to the impact of imports on prices for local growers. 
... 
As of October, the country’s national rice inventory was at 2.28 million metric tons, with some 1.9 million metric tons coming from imports, according to the Bureau of Customs. The share of imports is 43.4 percent higher than the previous year’s record of 1.59 million metric tons, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer'.

Vientiane Times (Nov. 14) has a look at the people's prospects for rice production:

'The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry yesterday defended its decision to lower the rice production target for 2019, saying it was unavoidable because of the severe flooding that had occurred this year and last.
At the same time, water shortages are currently affecting the north of Laos'.

Pha Khao Lao (Nov. 11) adds:

'Vientiane is continuing to expand irrigation systems with the goal of planting rice on an additional 555 hectares this dry season'.

Bust
Let's look at other crops.

Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 3) cites research that reflects positively on cassave vis-a-vis rice:

'The government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on farmers to grow cassava as a national policy on cassava production nears finalisation.
A UNDP study on Friday found that investing in cassava can result in higher yields than investing in rice, rice production, livestock, food and beverages, and tourism sectors. Direct revenue growth from the cassava sector is estimated to be about $130 million over 10 years.Speaking at the launch of the report, UNDP project manager Leang Reathmana said there is a growing demand for cassava from world markets – especially China – and the government and the private sector need to invest more in cassava'.

Rubber seems less positive. The Phnom Penh Post (Nov. 17):

'Rubber growers and exporters have expressed concern that prices will continue to fall as Thailand seeks to boost its natural rubber exports, industry insider Men Sopheak said.
In March, the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC), which comprises Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, agreed to reduce rubber exports by about 240,000 tonnes from late in May to late September to buoy local prices, Reuters reported last week.
The three Southeast Asian neighbours, which produce 70 per cent of the world’s natural rubber, ended up slashing exports by 441,648 tonnes during the period.
Thai Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit told a conference of reporters and rubber growers on Wednesday that Thailand will boost natural rubber exports to increase incomes for the latter following implementation of the four-month curb agreement, Reuters reported'.

Khmer Times (Oct. 28) on cashew:

'Top Planning Japan Co., Ltd last week announced its intention to build a plant in Cambodia to process cashew nuts'.

On a side note there's this. New Mandala (Nov. 1) has an extensive article on Southeast Asia's love of boom to bust cycles in it's agricultural development:

'The transformative capacity of crop booms across Southeast Asia is alarming. Tree-based boom crops alone (e.g. rubber, oil palm, eucalyptus) are estimated to constitute 18% of the landscape in mainland Southeast Asia, a majority of which replaced forest land (Hurni and Fox 2018). The images presented above attest to the monumental landscape changes brought about by crop booms. What follows are extensive environmental problems including deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, as well as pollution and health risks from agri-chemicals and plastics. In northern Laos and Myanmar, for example, plastics used to protect young watermelon seedlings are burned after harvest, while plastic bags that insulate young banana branches in the winter months are later ploughed into the soil. In both cases, there is no attention to the long-term environmental consequences.
Boom crops also bring irrevocable economic and social changes. The cassava boom in Cambodia, for example, has brought new levels of cash income to some participating households, but contributes to the rising cost of land, food and other consumables. In boom regions, some households gain the capacity to build new houses, send children to school, or invest in agricultural and transport equipment, while others lose out and may enter vicious cycles of household debt and land loss. Thus, smallholder crop booms often exacerbate existing inequalities or create new economic differentiations.
...
... states and development aid organisations often approach booms with optimism, viewing them as potential engines for locally driven development and economic growth. When ‘booms go bust’ due to ecological collapse or market failure, those involved often look for the next crop boom opportunity instead of engaging in long-term planning of more sustainable modes of agricultural production. This level of complexity and the lack of visible, responsible actors makes it difficult to research as well as address the socio-environmental impacts of crop booms'.

Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 29) has additional info on business enabling:

'The Ministry of Commerce has intensified its decentralisation policy and shifted its responsibility for issuing certificates of origin (COs) to provincial commerce departments, it said on Monday.
To promote the Kingdom’s agricultural exports, the ministry announced a pilot launch from November 1 in three border provinces – Takeo, Kampot and Koh Kong. 
In 2017, the ministry authorised the Battambang and Pailin provincial departments of Commerce to issue COs to exporters.
... 
Hun Lak, a director at Longmate Agriculture Co Ltd which is a yellow banana planter and exporter, said provincial CO issuance will facilitate his exports.He said his company exported nearly 120,000 tonnes of yellow bananas to China, Vietnam and Japan in the first nine months of this year.
Longmate Agriculture has invested $32 million in yellow banana cultivation on more than 1,000ha in Kampot’s northwestern Chhouk district. The company is currently implementing the first phase of the project on 400ha'.

Further afield. Vietnamnews (Oct. 30) on coffee:

'As coffee exports dropped in both volume and turnover in the first nine months of this year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said improving product quality and brand development are key for coffee export growth. 
Coffee exports reached 1.26 million tonnes, valued at US$2.17 billion, down 12.5 per cent ​​in volume and 20.9 per cent in value compared to the same period last year. 
To get Vietnamese coffee into foreign distribution systems, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said it would implement the scheme to help Vietnamese enterprises participate in overseas distribution networks by 2020, aiming to bring Vietnamese coffee directly into foreign markets'.

Thailand's Nation (Nov. 4) on pineapples:

'The Agricultural Research and Development Centre in Phetchaburi province has successfully created a new pineapple breed named “Petchaburi’s Pineapple 2” after 34 years of improvement by evaluating, selecting, comparing, and testing various breeds of pineapple, Department of Agriculture deputy director-general Surmsuk Salakpetch said'.

Suspect
Then let's finish with where we started. Controversy. 
In previous posts I've touched on the subject of the status of paraquat and glyphosate use in the region. As stated, Thailand is in the throes of deciding where to head to.
The Nation (Oct. 19) notes how farmers representatives are raising the stacks of the issue:

'Millions of sugarcane farmers and some academics have voiced opposition to the ban on farm chemicals paraquat and glyphosate, saying the discontinuation of these substances can cost the sugar industry as much as Bt570 billion.
...
The National Hazardous Substances Committee is scheduled to meet on October 27 to decide on whether the use of three toxic farming chemicals -- paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos – should be banned.
The panel set up by the government had proposed to end the use of the three chemicals from December 1, as they are considered to be harmful to people’s health and cause soil contamination'.

But it doesn't seem to help. Nation (Oct. 22):

'Twenty-six members of the Hazardous Substance Committee have reached a verdict to approve a planned ban on three toxic pesticides – Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate – which are widely used in agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted on his personal Facebook page on Tuesday'.

The discussion also reached Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 24):

'Thailand edged closer on Tuesday to banning glyphosate and two other controversial pesticides despite protests from farmers in a multibillion-dollar agriculture industry aiming to be the “kitchen of the world”.
The agriculture sector employs 40 per cent of Thailand’s population, and the Southeast Asian country is one of the world’s leading rice and sugar exporters.It is also one of the biggest consumers of pesticides that are currently being banned or phased out in other parts of the globe because of links to a variety of illnesses.Thailand’s National Hazardous Substances Committee voted to ban glyphosate and chemicals paraquat and chlorpyrifos, officials said.
 ...
Vietnam banned all herbicides containing glyphosate soon after the Roundup cases in the US, but the decision was swiftly denounced by the US Secretary of Agriculture, who said it would impact global agricultural production. 
Thailand’s health minister, who has argued that the pesticides put lives at risk, praised Tuesday’s move as “heroic” on his Facebook page, as several dozen farmers protested, citing a rise in production costs. 
“If we don’t have the chemicals to eradicate the weeds, we will have to use more labourers,” said Charat Narunchron of a farmers association in Chanthaburi province, who called the ban “unfair”.Thailand’s Pesticide Alert Network – which has long advocated for the ban – thanked the government, but said it needs to help farmers adjust to other methods'.

The Bangkok Post (Oct. 26) highlights that prices of the to be banned chemicals are going down. 

Even the US is weighing in, not objectively. The Nation (Oct. 25):

'The US has urged Thailand to take scientific evidence into account and weigh the consequences of a ban on the use of glyphosate, a weed-control chemical.
Replying to questions from The Nation on Thailand’s plan to ban three farm chemicals -- paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate -- US Embassy spokesperson Jillian Bonnardeaux said: “We are aware that letters from the US Department of Agriculture to Royal Thai Government officials are currently circulating in the media in Thailand,” clarifying about news reports that the US government had sent letters to the Thai government urging a review of the ban on glyphosate used to control weeds.
“The United States would expect Thailand, as it would all of our trading partners, to base regulatory measures on scientific evidence and take into account international standards. Should the ban be implemented in Thailand, it will severely impact Thailand’s imports of agricultural commodities such as soybeans and wheat. The ban would negatively impact both Thai farmers and trading partners,” she noted'.

Note, Bangkok Post (Oct. 26):

'Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday said officials would be assigned to clearly explain Thailand’s position to the US embassy about an official document submitted to the Thai government objecting to the country’s policy of banning three toxic farm chemicals'.

Bangkok Post (Oct. 27):

'US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend $1.3 billion (39.2 billion baht) in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) has raised suspicion it is in retaliation for Thailand's ban on the use of herbicide glyphosate'.

And more pressure. Nation (Oct. 26):

'A farmers’ body will appeal to the Central Administrative Court on Monday (October 28) to issue an injunction on the ban of toxic agricultural chemicals – paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate – which was approved by the unanimous vote of Hazardous Substance Committee on Tuesday.
Sukan Sangwanna, secretary-general of Federation of Safe Agriculture (FSA), said on Saturday that the FSA and representatives of farmers who grow six economic crops including sugarcane, tapioca, oil palm, rubber, corn, and fruits will approach the court seeking a stay.
...
Sukan added that he will submit a letter to Hazardous Substance Committee to question the possible double standard practice of Thailand still importing fruits and vegetables from countries that allow paraquat and glyphosate, including China, Japan and the US. “If we ban these substances in Thailand, we should stop importing products from these countries too, or else domestic products won’t be able to compete due to increased costs.”
Statistics from Department of Agriculture reveal that currently Thailand still has stocks of these three chemicals of nearly 30,000 tonnes, whereas the cost to safely eliminate them is estimated at Bt3 billion'.

But ... The Nation (Oct. 31):

'Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has ordered the ministry’s permanent secretary and subsidiary agencies to speed their search for biochemical and microbial pesticides as substitutes for the newly banned toxic chemicals paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate'.

Rice farmers are unaffected? Bangkok Post (Nov. 9):

'Rice exporters have thrown their full support behind the ban on three toxic farm chemicals, saying importer countries have tightened their order of crops based on food safety.

Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the group agrees with the government's decision to ban paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos, and has asked farmers to adjust by reducing the use of chemicals.

"Many rice buyers have tightened their measures to protect consumers," Mr Charoen said. "If Thai farmers ignore the ban or do not reduce chemical use, rice exports will be affected."

He said global rice consumption is shifting towards chemical-free products'.

And now the tears. Nation (Nov. 13):

'Dr Kitti Chunhawong, president of Thailand Society of Sugarcane Technologists (TSSCT) insisted on Tuesday (November 12) that the banning of 3 agrochemical substances namely Paraquat, Chlorpyrifos and Glyphosate by the Hazardous Substance Committee, which came into effect last month, will severely affect the sugar industry'.

To be continued ...

Permissive

From now on, readers will note the lack of references to the Cambodia Daily. Politics have determined that publishing the news should be considered contentious. That's if you fear the light of truth.
The changing climate is also described by this by Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 16):

'Svay Rieng officials on Saturday prevented a local farmer coalition from conducting a workshop on raising chickens on the grounds it had failed to get permission from district and provincial authorities, a possible sign of increased scrutiny of NGOs working in the provinces.

...

The Coalition of Cambodia Farmers Community was conducting the workshop for 25 families when Ampil commune authorities and police told them to stop, said Chhem Kosal, a project coordinator with the NGO.

“I informed them that we had informed the commune chief already, and the commune chief also permitted [it]. But they still required me to ask for permission from district and provincial levels,” he said'.

Free
Something on-topic. The Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 9) has an extensive article on everything but traditional agricultural varieties:

'The government has denied the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the agricultural sector amid persistent reports that some local farmers may already be cultivating genetically engineered “hybrid” seeds, warning that countries could restrict or ban the import of Cambodian agricultural products if use of the biotechnology is confirmed.
...
Hean Vanhan, an undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, cast doubt on the veracity of the reports, stating firmly that Cambodian farmers have never taken up GM seeds – and the government would like to keep it that way.
“We are still not using any GM seeds for cultivation as they remain highly controversial in the international market, and we are dependent on exports so must comply with market trends,” he said. “If we allow GMOs to exist in our market it would have an impact on our exports as some countries do not trust them.”
Vanhan noted, however, that the government has never formally banned GM seeds or issued any regulations to prevent their import or cultivation “because there is no definitive proof that they are harmful”.
...
Sam Vitou, executive director of agricultural organisation CEDAC, said while the government appears to have blocked efforts by Monsanto and other GMO producers to market their products in Cambodia, there are fears local farmers could inadvertently be sowing their fields with GM seeds imported from Thailand, Vietnam and China.
“Even though the Ministry of Agriculture has not opened our market to Monsanto our agricultural sector could be threatened by the unofficial flow of [seed imports from] neighbouring countries,” he said.
Vietnam has embraced GMOs, approving at least 14 varieties of GM corn and eight varieties of GM soybean for cultivation, while indicating plans to have up to half of its farmland planted with transgenic crops by 2020. Thailand has waffled on GMO support, taking a more measured approach after field trials of GM papayas began contaminating nearby crops, resulting in several countries banning its papayas from their markets. To date, the country has approved 15 varieties of GM crops, mostly corn.
...
The confusion extends to the media, which often blurs the line between hybrid and GM seeds or incorrectly assumes that all Monsanto, Dow and Syngenta seed varieties are genetically modified.
A news report published online last year by Monash University’s School of Journalism made the explosive claim that over 100 families in Kandal province’s Kbal Koh district switched to planting Monsanto GM corn about a decade ago on the advice of local Agriculture Ministry officials.
Bun Tounsimona, director of Kandal province’s Agriculture Department, categorically rejected the report’s claims, insisting he had personally inspected farms in Kbal Koh district and did not find any GM plantings there.
“We use only hybrid seeds for corn farming as they provide high yields, but never GM seeds,” he said, adding that farmers had been warned not to use GM seeds because of the possible health concerns and risk it could restrict their exports to certain markets.
...
Four crops – corn, soybean, cotton and canola – account for nearly 99 percent of global GM acreage. GM varieties of rice have been developed and tested in field trials, but have never been commercially grown.
Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, stressed the importance of keeping GMOs out of the Kingdom’s rice sector, adding that Cambodian rice has been tested and certified as GMO-free.
“Our farmers farm according to industry guidelines and market demands,” he said. “If GM rice is grown it will damage our export market because it is controversial and overseas buyers don’t trust GMO.”

So there does seem to be reluctance to grow GM crops, but no policy initiatives to avoid GM crops coming in. Naive at the best. Presumably GM corn is already grown with seeds available from neighbouring countries.
Perhaps the following news snippet (Business Monitor, Sept. 27) can enlighten what's going on, though arguably from the Philippines, a country which seems to have less scruples when it comes to growing whatever be it GM crop or not.

'In the Philippines, the cultivation of GM corn, such as the insect-resistant Bt-corn and roundup-ready corn varieties, is preferred over hybrid or native varieties because of its benefits, according to Romero [Gabriel O. Romero, Regulatory Affairs Lead of Monsanto Philippines Inc.].
Romero said that, before, it was only India and the Philippines planting GM crops in Asia. “Australia has its GM cotton; India has GM eggplant or  Bt eggplant. Now, Myanmar is planting GM cotton,” Rotmero said sans citing sources.
Romero added that China has been into GM cotton and GM papaya, while Pakistan is now also planting GM cotton.
“Not all of these are ‘legal planting’,” Romero said, adding that legal planting is only in the Philippines, Vietnam and Australia'.

Basically the article (without any emphasis on the negatives) bandstands Monsanto's objective to steam roll all Asian agriculture, one country at a time. But ultimately all Asian agriculture will see GM crops massively adopted, preferably those of Monsanto. 

Royal
A scathing article from the Bangkok Post (Oct. 18) notes a near Perronesque attitude to what the late King stood for. Anyway, it seems the current Thai regime has it's own ideas:

'Unfortunately, certain authorities recently seem to be doing things that contradict the late King's principles. This month, the Department of Agriculture (DOA) appeared to push for an amendment of the 1999 Plant Varieties Protection Act during the period when Thai people are mourning the late King ahead of the royal cremation ceremony. The amendment effort is also being criticised for favouring giant seed companies, enabling them to monopolise the ownership of certain "patented" plant varieties they developed from local plants and seeds. Accordingly, it will make it difficult for farmers to be self-reliant. The law amendment effort is seen to be aligned with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) Convention of 1991. For decades, big transnational corporations, particularly giant seed companies, have put pressure on Thailand to accept the 1991 UPOV Convention.
Biothai, a non-profit organisation working for the protection of Thailand's biodiversity, issued a warning several years ago that several international free trade agreements (FTAs), particularly the Thai-US FTA and the Asean-Europe FTA, would force Thailand to change its laws to comply with the convention. And now it is actually happening. The DOA's proposed amendment to the law has been accused of jettisoning farmers' rights to save commercial seeds and regrow them. Violators risk facing criminal charges in which the punishment is a jail term or a fine or both.
However, the DOA has denied the allegation, saying that, under the proposed bill, small-scale farmers can still keep seeds for replanting, while plant variety study and innovation research will be expanded to create new strains that will bolster exports of agricultural products.
...
Still, it is stipulated in Section 35 of the bill that replanting must be carried out for the purpose of plant variety breeding and it must receive approval from a committee authorised to designate which plant varieties will be restricted or banned from replanting. In layman's terms, farmers will not be allowed to save commercial crop seeds and regrow them to make a living and feed their families. What they can do is buy new seeds from companies for new cultivation.
...
Instead of pushing for this new law, which is seen as favouring a handful of seed firms and limiting the rights of millions of farmers, the department should have followed the late King's valuable example'.

Stocktaking

Away from the controversy, exports of rice from Cambodia are ever increasing. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 6 ):

'Cambodian rice exports increased nearly 17 percent during the first nine months compared to the same period last year, with exporters pushing to fill orders under China’s higher import quota as European markets remained steady.
A total of 421,900 tonnes of rice was exported between January and September, a 16.7 percent increase compared to the first nine months of 2016, according to government data published yesterday.
China – which has agreed to accept 200,000 tonnes of rice this year – was the top destination for rice shipments, receiving 124,700 tonnes during the period, with 53,900 tonnes and 35,400 tonnes delivered to France and Poland, respectively'.

More in the pipeline, with the deal with Bangladesh becoming reality. The Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 29):

'Cambodia and Bangladesh have finalised terms on a massive rice deal that could see up to 1 million tonnes of rice purchased from the Kingdom over the next five years, with the first shipment due to begin by November, a source close to the deal said yesterday.
Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), confirmed that an agreement had been made between the two governments after the relevant ministries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in August that hoped to replenish Bangladesh’s stockpiles after heavy flooding earlier this year decimated the country’s crops.
 ...
He added that the deal, which will be managed by the state-run company Green Trade, allows for flexibility in the next harvest season that will begin in January. While he declined to provide the agreed upon price for the deal, he said that the current market price for Cambodian white rice was at $430 a tonne.
In late August, Reuters news agency reported that Bangladesh had agreed to purchase Cambodian rice at $453 a tonne, while local officials insisted that price negotiations were still ongoing'.

How to develop the sector? A double take from the remaining news source on improving storage and drying facilities. The Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 13):

'The government-run Rural Development Bank (RDB) has extended the deadline to receive proposals from registered Cambodian agricultural firms to develop rice storage and drying facilities after receiving a tepid response to its finance offer, a bank official said yesterday'.

Phnom Penh Post (Sep. 26):

'The state-run Rural Development Bank (RDB) received a total of 10 proposals from Cambodian agricultural firms expressing interest in developing rice storage and drying facilities across three provinces using government-backed low-interest loans, a bank official said yesterday.

Kao Thach, chief executive of RDB, said six more companies submitted proposals for the $15 million finance package after the bank extended the application deadline from September 8 to September 22 due to a low response. Only four companies submitted proposals during the initial three-week call for submissions.

...

The storage facilities are intended to alleviate the stress on farmers and millers when rice stockpiles begin to stack up and are expected to be operational by the start of the next harvest season in January.

...

Earlier this year RDB awarded a $15 million low-interest loan to Thanakea Srov (Kampuchea) Plc, the operator of the Cambodian Rice Bank, to expand its rice storage warehouse in Battambang province.

The warehouse is set to be the first privately owned centralised storage facility with a capacity to store 200,000 tonnes of wet paddy rice and to process 3,000 tonnes of paddy rice daily'.

Direction
Thailand's The Nation (Oct. 2) looks at proposed new taxing:

'Citing its likely impact of further impoverishing already vulnerable rice farmers, some academics and farming leaders are slamming a proposed new national water-use policy that would tax farmers for irrigating their fields.
...
In the volume-based billing system, water costs would range from Bt0.5 per cubic metre of water for agriculture and animal husbandry, Bt1-Bt3 per cubic metre for tourism-oriented businesses, restaurants, and recreation businesses, and more than Bt3 per cubic metre for large-scale use such as large farms, industry, and power generation.
Economics lecturer Decharut Sukkumnoed from Kasetsart University, is concerned that the seemingly sensible approach would end up further hurting already struggling farm families. Collecting a water bill from farmers would intensify their financial difficulties by generating a new expense at a time when increased farming costs and decreased crop prices are already resulting in deficits among small farmers'.

Concerning price and market. The Nation (Sep. 30):

'Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said yesterday that growing strength of the Thai currency has negatively impacted on the country’s exports of rice and other farm products such as rubber |sheet, tapioca and sugar. These products have 90 per cent local content, so the baht’s rise makes them more expensive than those of our competitors.
“The Thai currency has risen by 8.5 per cent against the US dollar, whereas the Vietnam dong has just risen 2 per cent against the greenback, resulting in Thai rice exporters losing market shares to their counterparts in Vietnam ,” he said'.

Bangkok Post (Oct. 17):

'Strong overseas demand for Thai rice is expected to support prices even as an influx of around 25 million tonnes of the 2017/18 major crop is about to flood the market next month, say industry officials.
Thai Rice Exporters Association president Charoen Laothammatas said hefty demand from the overseas markets could push 2017 rice exports to 10.8 million tonnes, nearly matching the record high of 10.9 million tonnes in 2014'.

What says the competition?
An interesting article from Vietnam.net (Oct. 8) looks forward and sees that rice is not the export flagship all regard:

'Phong [Hoang Ngoc Phong, deputy director of the Economic Development Consultancy Center] stressed that it is necessary to find a new direction for the delta development by changing the agricultural production model.

...

“Agriculture doesn’t always mean rice cultivation. It would be better to reduce the rice growing area to a reasonable level. We don’t strive to grow rice to export rice products at low prices, because farmers cannot make profits, while the state has to make heavy investments,” he said.
Phong went on to say that instead of trying to prevent saline intrusion, Mekong Delta should adapt to it.
In fact, in many localities, people have adapted to the saltwater intrusion when changing the crop structure. They have one rice crop and one shrimp/fish crop instead of two rice crops a year'.

But the above note is but a sideline, see this article from nhandan.com (Oct. 17):

'The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has set the target of raising Vietnam’s rice export revenues to between US$2.3 and 2.5 billion by 2030.

The target was announced at a conference on realising Vietnam’s rice export strategy during the 2017-2020 period, with a view towards 2030.

Under the strategy, Vietnam will gradually reduce its rice export volumes whilst increasing the proportion of high-earning varieties, with the annual volume for the 2017-2020 period targeted at 4.5-5 million tonnes and shrinking to 4 million tonnes by 2030'.

It could be argued that growing less would result in higher prices thus achieving the same return with less effort ...
From afar this article in the  Guardian (Sep. 24 ):

'India is rice country: the cereal provides daily sustenance for more than 60% of the population. Half a century ago, it was home to more than 100,000 rice varieties, encompassing a stunning diversity in taste, nutrition, pest-resistance and, crucially in this age of climate change and natural disasters, adaptability to a range of conditions. Today, much of this biodiversity is irretrievably lost, forced out by the quest for high-yield hybrids and varieties encouraged by government agencies. Such “superior” varieties now cover more than 80% of India’s rice acreage'.

It then describes a local Orissa state initiative to save it's own varieties and seeds to increase the ability to be independent of outside agents be they government or privateers.

'By reviving seeds, they are also reviving food, taste, ritual, nutrition, and sustainability – attributes often forgotten as a result of the obsession with yield. Attributes that make rice more than just a bundle of calories and starch'.

Suited

From rice to veggie growing. The Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 6) gives space for vegetable growing initiatives:

'German development agency GIZ held a consultation workshop in Phnom Penh yesterday for its two-year Facilitating Trade in Agricultural Goods in Asean (FTAG) initiative, holding discussions with Ministry of Agriculture officials and local traders aimed at identifying the most suitable fruit and vegetable crops for cross-border trade between Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam'.

Phnom Penh Post (Oct. 10):

'A $20 million Ministry of Agriculture programme has struggled to meet its goal of introducing 160 tonnes a day of high-quality locally produced vegetables to the market, with ministry officials saying that as a result of high production costs and pricing issues it was currently supplying less than a third of that amount.

...

Kean Sophea, deputy director of the Department of Horticulture and Subsidiary Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that while the programme had so far signed on 2,060 farmers and 260 rice cooperatives, disagreements between farmers and buyers over prices had led to its poor performance.

“Farmers are ready to farm and sell following our food safety standards, but buyers complain about the higher prices and consumers are not happy either,” he said.

“The main challenge is still between farmer, buyer and consumer and until that is solved we will only be able to supply 50 tonnes per day.”

Pluses

Vientiane Times (Oct. 9) looks at coffee growing:

'The value of coffee exported by Laos is expected to exceed US$112 million in the 2017 fiscal year, an increase of 3 percent compared to 2016.
Coffee exports topped US$74 million in the first six months of this year, an increase of US$50 million compared to the same period in 2016.
...
Association Office Head Mr Sivixay Xayaseng told Vientiane Times on Friday that many companies have supported and encouraged local farmers to grow more coffee under the 2+3 system and to set a purchasing plan before reporting the figures to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The 2+3 policy is a government initiative that encourages investors and land owners to partner in industrial tree plantations.
The system refers to a framework where farmers must provide land and labour while investors provide funding, technical support and a ready market for growers'.

And this (Vientiane Times, Oct. 16):

'The government is planning to develop coffee-rich Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos as the country’s top agri-business and agri-tourism destination due to its perfect climate and fertile volcanic soils.
A master plan for developing the plateau is being drafted by the National Economic Research Institute to ensure sustainable development in Bolaven'.

Life 
Bangkok Post (Oct. 1) has an expansive exposé of rice growers choosing for organic growing with the only alternative being growing sugar cane:

'A new machine stands quietly in a corner of a small rice mill north of Amnat Charoen town. Its operation will commence at the end of this year, marking an important step for local farmers to boost
their rice production. ...
When local farmers talk about "changing the world", it means supplying premium organic produce to the market. In return, they receive a reasonable income that lifts up their livelihood.
...
The self-determination movement of local farmers in Amnat Charoen is challenging the perspective of the central government and the entire agriculture sector, whose direction is determined by top-down policies. Promoting large-scale farming is on the agenda of the current military regime too, leading to conflict and public scepticism about whether it can save farmers in the long run.
...
At first, organic rice farmer Isara Keaodee didn't know who came to buy paddy fields in his community in Amnat Charoen's Nam Plik subdistrict.
It started with a few plots, then more.
The purchaser offered enticing prices for each plot. Farmers mired in debt could hardly resist such offers that delivered quick cash. Some sold their land without knowing the consequences.
It later became clear that each small tract pieced together in a large land plot, where a new sugar cane mill and a 61-megawatt biomass power plant will be soon built.
The mill, with a total daily processing capacity of 20,000 tonnes of sugar cane, will be run by Kalasin Mitr Sugar Company Limited, owned by Thailand's and Asia's biggest sugar and bioenergy producer Mitr Phol Group. The biomass plant will be fed by bagasse.
The advent of the sugar industry has raised concerns among organic rice farmers. Most of their fears concern herbicides and chemical fertiliser used in sugar cane plantations. Water seizure by cane monoculture is another major worry.
...
Funded by money from their own pockets, a group of organic farmers toured communities around sugar cane mills in the Northeast to get more information.
"I've seen many farmers suffer when they produce only to serve factories. They produce fast. They get support. But they are in great debt from purchasing chemicals and fertilisers to boost growth to catch up with the factories' demand," says Mr Isara.
"They don't actually hold market shares. They have very low negotiation power."
Two public hearings on a sugar cane mill and a biomass power plant were held at Nam Plik. Protesters claimed that the hearings did not provide complete information about the pros and cons of the project.
When Spectrum [= Bangkok Post] requested an interview with Mitr Phol, we were told by its public relations department that the executive who can comment was abroad'.

Finally, following a very interesting and intriguing video describing life in the Lao highlands. It notes the difficulties facing agriculture, practises in using chemical herbicides and eking out a living with hunting and collecting. 
More can be found here.

'This video is Part 2 of the 3-part series that covers the lives of the villagers in Houay Len over a 12-month period. It looks at the lives of three Phong women Mrs. Tong, Mrs. Bua and Mrs. Chueng and examines local women’s lives during the production season from April to August. The women talk about the work that goes into getting fields ready for planting rice and maize, as well as how they feel about pesticides and why they are used in the village. We also learn more about nutrition and where Houay Len’s villagers get their food'.

Front

Halting the unlimited expansion of GMO crops are consumers and governments empowering them.

News office Reuters (May 6) explains the current situation concerning GMO crops and the hesitation in continuing on the same foot, albeit from a US perspective:

'Across the U.S. Farm Belt, top grain handlers have banned genetically modified crops that are not approved in all major overseas markets, shaking up a decades-old system that used the world's biggest exporting country as a launchpad for new seeds from companies like Monsanto Co.
...
The United States is the biggest producer of GMO crops and has long been at the forefront of technology aiming to protect crops against insects or allow them to resist herbicides.
That innovation is now seen as a risk to trade because it is hard to segregate crops containing unapproved traits from the billions of identical-looking bushels exported every year'.

Corporations and with them some governments wish to sell products to the public, which the same public has little or no faith in. 
The GMO lobbys' pitch is for more production (for farmers, but at lower prices ...) and lower prices (for the public, but also poorer quality); the lobbys' only real motivation is profit. 

Count ourselves lucky that there are still some governments who are able to withstand the lobbying power of these corporations. And are holding these same corporations to account.

Whether or not this will stay depends on the future of the TPP trade deal (or similar deals) as it seems the EU will cave in to business interests (source) while the companies pushing GMO and hybrids are hoping to get evermore stronger.

TPP and rice will lead to changes. The American DeltaFarmPress (May 20) has it doubts on TPP and the effect on local growers. 

Why? Mexico. 

Until 2008, Mexico had import tariffs on rice, but not on  those from the USA. Come rice price crisis (2007-2009), these tariffs were done away with and thus all of a sudden Vietnamese and Thai rice became (much) cheaper than US imported rice. Since though US lobbying has raised the tariff levels once again but the angst which concerns US farmers is that the TPP will result in the same tariffs applying to all signatories: Vietnam. So no easy market anymore for US rice. And thus little support from US rice farmers.

Considerate

Not too much from the Cambodian front. 

In the first highlight it is noted by Khmer times (May 5) that Cambodia is still no nearer ramping up rice exports to China:

'Officials from China will arrive in Cambodia soon to audit and evaluate rice producing companies and to check warehouses.
...
In December last year, China asked Cambodia to evaluate its rice exporters to determine whether they adhered to hygiene laws in China, because officials in the world’s second largest economy did not trust all of the 71 rice exporters registered with the Ministry of Commerce. They sent them the final registration list of rice producers and processors by the end of December last year and they will come to Cambodia to re-check and re-audit'.

However what about this smart marketing move from Cambodia? The Khmer Times (May 30):

'Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday asked China to consider Cambodia’s rice stocks as part of its effort to distribute food relief to other countries'.

Then the forgotten issue of illegal rice imports. The Phnom Penh Post (May 9):

'More than a month has elapsed since the government vowed to strengthen its borders to halt illegal imports of rice, yet little has been done to stem the flow of illicit rice shipments flooding into Cambodia from its foreign neighbours and undermining the export efforts of local producers'.

Not such a high priority?

Burden

On the Asian front (minus price issues), it's noted that China starts rice imports from Laos (source), see the following vdo.  Is China going Khao Niao?

Meanwhile the short term sees Philippines struggling to cope with drought. the Bangkok Post (May 4):

'The Philippines said on Wednesday that drought had caused the country's rice output to drop by about 300,000 tonnes, or a third higher than its estimate last month, and there was a risk heavy rains later in the year could inflict more crop damage'.

Insuring your rice in Thailand. PBS notes (May 22) that the Thai junta would want this to become mandatory. 

'The government is considering a plan which will make it compulsory for rice farmers to insure their rice crops with insurance companies which, in the long run, will ease the government’s burden in helping farmers'.

Just passing on the contentious bone. Eventually farmers would be compensating themselves, with insurance companies doing the admin and charging a hefty sum for the effort, no doubt.

Haggling

Prices of rice are edging upwards as everybody expects that climate disruption associated with El Niño weather patterns will bring havoc, at least some to the rice market with farmers here and there having problems with drought. This certainly has captured the global attention. Britains' the Independent (May 4): 

'The world is expected to suffer a major rice shortage after global production was hit by extreme weather patterns - potentially fuelling an international price crisis.
...
Dr Samarendu Mohanty from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) told The Independent: “There is no doubt that the supply situation is very tight, and this will inevitably cause a spiral in demand.
“The extent of this crisis all depends on what happens during the upcoming monsoon season. If it goes badly in India and Indonesia and the crops don’t get the rain, there could be real trouble ahead.”

Less prominent, the Business Recorder (May 17) focuses on rice export prices:

'Benchmark Thai rice prices hit a two-year high on Tuesday as drought cut output from Asia's top rice growers and stoked demand for Thai exports, rice traders and exporters said.

Prices are at their highest level since the Thai military seized power two years ago and ended generous subsidies that  caused a glut in supply and a massive build-up in rice stockpiles in Thailand'.

Hurrah for the junta, which has hushed their own policies for Thai rice farmers?
 
The Bangkok Post (May 24) believes that prices will also rise in Thailand:

'Consumers are warned of a possible rise in the price of packaged rice as a dip in white rice output may lead packers to push for the increase over the next few months'. 

The article emphasizes how the packaged product will become more expensive, not necessarily the price farmers will receive ....

Then some bad news for the exporting nations. One of the main importers (the Philippines) hopes to become self sufficient in the near future. The Bangkok Post (May 13):

'The Philippines, the world's No. 3 rice buyer, regularly imports more than a million tonnes a year of the food staple to meet demand from its growing population'.

It's debatable whether or not the Philippines would be able to attain this. But expect this to further drive local prices down (which in return dissuades local farmers from growing (and investing in) more ...

The IRRI (May 27) has another take on this road plan. According to trade agreements, the Philippines will need to take the opposite road: no import restrictions meaning more exports to the Philippines. Or lower prices for farmers.

In the meantime there's Thailands great sell-off to contend with. Vietnam is not so fond of the Thai auction (Thanhnien, May 9):

'Thailand’s plan to sell off its rice stockpile within two months has sparked concerns for Vietnamese rice exporters, many of whom have been already hitting bumps.

They said Thailand’s clearance of 11.4 million tons, more than the country’s annual average export, in such a short period will push prices down significantly and hurt consumption of rice from Vietnam'. 

Not only is the sell-off cushioning prices, it's also distorting markets for Vietnamese exports. Vietnamnet (May 16):

'Luong Anh Tuan, director of Thinh Phat Food, also said that loyal markets had stopped negotiating to buy Vietnam’s rice. They are waiting to see the moves to be taken by Thailand before making a decision.
“Meanwhile, other partners of Vietnam from China and Africa will haggle with Vietnamese exporters about the prices and try to force the prices down,” Tuan said'.

There don't seem to be any apparent remedies for Vietnam, other than seeking new markets.  
Maybe it would be better to ride out the oncoming storm?

Meanwhile the Bangkok Post (May 18) seize on this:

'Agencies in Cambodia announced on Wednesday that the country's rice exports have increased more than fivefold over the past five years.

A joint statement released by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Cambodia Rice Federation, said "Cambodia's formal milled rice exports have significantly increased in the last five years, from approximately 100,000 metric tonnes in 2010 to 530,000 metric tonnes in 2015."

The usual 
The trials and tribulations with growing other crops, starting off with rubber from which the appeal has long ago waned. That's not so nice especially for northern Laos which bet heavily on this crop. The Vientiane Times (May 17):

'Many villagers in Phongsaly province have declined to plant rubber trees on their land following the continuing slump in the price of rubber on the world market.
A forestry expert from Phongsaly province, Mr Thongsavan Thammavong, told Vientiane Times yesterday that villagers quickly lost interest when they learnt what the sale price of rubber was.
“Many people here have wasted their time and lost opportunities by growing rubber as they can earn more by growing other crops,” Mr Thongsavan said.
Thousands of farmers in the province switched to planting cardamom after earning a good income from this crop, which they sold to Chinese traders'.

A vdo on the banana problem by Thai TV station PBS (May 5) concerning what is happening in northern Lao. 
Then the Nation (May 25) also reports on Chinese own, grow and export banana plantations in Lao PDR. The conclusions of the article:

'In Laos and Thailand, communities on both banks of the Mekong are now terrified about the adverse effects of Chinese agribusiness. People's health and the integrity of the natural environment are the first, often forgotten, casualties of this type of investment.
There has still been no official explanation by state authorities, in Thailand or in Laos, how these plantations will be regulated. Local people have been left behind to cope with this trans-border problem on their own, which is unfortunately business as usual'.

New sights are set this time for mangoes to Europe. The Phnom Penh Post (May 6) 

'Mong Reththy Group, the largest agro-industrial company in Cambodia, has sent 13 shipments of mangoes to Europe this year totalling 54,000 kilograms, the owner said yesterday'.

Laos is discovering Geographical Identification. The Nation (May 7): 

'Laos is preparing to certify its home-grown coffee with geographical indication (GI) and as a member of the International Coffee Organisation'.

Saga
The Bangkok Post (May 5) notes how research by Thai-PAN shows that much of what constitutes Thai organic fruit and vegetables is in fact non-organic: 

'The release of the findings Wednesday by Thai-PAN or the Thailand Pesticide Action Network which randomly collected and sent to labs samples of veggies from our markets showed most contain farm chemical residues higher than acceptable standards.
...
One-quarter of organic veggies that cost consumers a lot more than conventionally-grown types were found to be tainted with higher-than-acceptable levels of chemical residues.
...
More importantly, it showed that some farm chemicals that are legally banned, including carbofuran and methomyl, are still available. 
...
In all, the entire saga indicates that the state's efforts to promote food safety are just lip service'.

The article on the findings attracts many comments, mostly harsh critique denouncing practices of farmers, sellers and of course the Thai government / authorities.

Therefore one need not to be surprised on how the military-ruled government responds (Bangkok Post, May 10):

'A fruit and vegetable survey, released by the Thai-Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-Pan) late last week to widespread public concern, is questionable, says the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS)'. 

It's a pity authorities decline to accept the very indicative results of the sample process, i.e. that there's something massively wrong. Instead they call the process flawed and one can continue to take a deep sleep ... poor consumers.