Paddy fields in Ayutthaya to store floodwater

AYUTTHAYA, Sept 12 (TNA) - Ayutthaya farmers speed up harvesting rice to convert their paddy fields into water retention areas for the northern run-off as part of the flood prevention plan in the central region. Under the agreement with the government, farmers will finish rice harvest by Sept 15 and about 250,000 acres of seven fields will be used to store the water inflow from northern provinces, said Director of the Ayutthaya Irrigation Project, Bodaeng Thakaew. The fields have a maximum capacity to hold about one billion cubic metres of water, which can be used to supply farmers for the next rice cultivation season. The water storage in the empty paddy fields was also done in the past two years. Northern run-off brought organic matter deposited from the river into the fields and it became natural organic fertilizer. The water kept weeds from growing in the fields. As a result, it helped increase rice production and cut the production cost, he said. As the Chao Phraya River has not yet overflowed in the central provinces, from September 15, the water will be gradually diverted into the fields to reach the 50-cm level. With its capacity to receive the water level as high as 1.50 metres, more water will be drained into the fields if there is more rain in October. (TNA)