Govt to announce 2017 farming map next month

BANGKOK, Jan 18 (TNA) – The government will announce the farming map as a guideline for Thai farmers to instruct them which crops are suitable to be grown in each specific areas of the country. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will announce the farming map on Feb 28 to urge farmers to plant other crops, which is suitable for their land and market demand such as mung bean, soy bean and peanut besides growing rice. The farming map is not the compulsory measure but farmers who grow crop in accordance with the government’s policy will be given incentives by the government. The measure will be proposed to the Cabinet for consideration soon. The issue was discussed during the meeting on tackling rice problems, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong today to lay out the 2017 work plan, which will be forwarded to the national rice committee’s meeting on Jan 23. The meeting acknowledged the information in the rice demand and supply both for domestic consumption, industrial production and export. Currently, the country rice production areas include in-season rice fields of about 58 million rai or about 23.2 million acres and off-season rice fields of five million rai or about two million acres. Meanwhile, the country’s rice demand is about 30 million tonnes. (TNA)