Prices are going down. Reuters (14 December 2011) quotes the FAO which rejoices the relief the price falls mean to the consumers. Both India and Vietnam are undercutting Thailand as their weaker currencies and huge stockpiles allow them to sell more for less. Both countries are also expecting better crops and are intent on easing their stockpilings. Thailand is feeling the pressure as even it's exporters are now buying up foreign crops to sell rather than supplying Thai rice. With the world economy in the doldrums, prices will not be likely to sustain themselves and an end in the boom times for rice farmers will end ...
- Adding to the woes of the Thai, despite the floods in Cambodia, rice production is also up in Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Post (9 December 2011) quotes the Khmer Minister of Agriculture claiming that this years crop will equal or surpass last years even though 10% of the crop had been inundated. Sounds too good to be true.
- The Global Post are highlighting rice's role as the most essential crop on our planet. On November 28 it had a feature on Thailand. It stresses how the thai governments objective is to give a fair return to it's farmers while highlighting that the policy has driven prices up but ultimately will lead to demise of the Thai rice exports / domination of the global rice trade.
'But while shoring up appeal in upcountry Thailand, Yingluck may also be winning fans among Vietnamese rice exporters. Her scheme, according to US Department of Agriculture predictions, could cause Thai exports to drop by 20 percent next year — and potentially cede the world’s top exporter crown to Vietnam'.
- Amongst keeping tabs on hybrid rice corporations GRAIN heralds the rights of small farmers world-wide. For their consistence efforts GRAIN received the Right Livelihood Award, an alternative Nobel prize.
- Finally, Bangkok Post (19-12-2011) adds it's economics reader the following notes on rice futur with the quote
'Rice strains that can better resist rising temperature, disease and floods are on the way ...'.
Great! It then goes on how hybrids are the future and how good-hearted CP are in denoting their hybrid rices to 99 farmers, yea! CP'... called the scheme an opportunity for farmers to improve their crop management and place more emphasis on post-harvest work such as soil analysis and fertiliser preparation'.
And not a case to promote it's business model at the expense of farmers independence.
