|
|
| • EXCH RATES |
|
Baht/$ 33.64/67
Bid/Ask
|
GOLD |
14,900
+ 200
|
|
WICHIT CHANTANUSORNSIRI
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives is cooperating with Kasetsart University to encourage farmers to use organic fertilisers to reduce production costs.
Teerapong Tungteerasunun, the BAAC president, said livestock waste can be fertiliser on rice and cassava farms.
The initiative aims to not only reduce production costs and boost farm yields, but also educate farmers about organic farming practices.
Rice and cassava are among the country's prominent agricultural crops, generating together an estimated 150 billion baht in revenues for the country.
But while Thailand is among the world's largest food exporters, productivity and yields remain below average.
Rice, for instance, is planted on 67 million rai nationwide with average yields of 448 kilogrammes per rai, compared with a global average of 653 kg/rai.
Mr Teerapong said the pilot programme would be tested in nine provinces, including Surin, Si Sa Ket and Kamphaeng Phet.
Fertilisers and pesticides are a major cost for most farmers. An average cassava farmer, for instance, may have production costs of around 2,780 baht per rai, of which chemical fertilisers can account for 1,400 baht per rai.
Sittichai Wiriyatornpan, a cassava farmer in Nakhon Pathom, said that his fertiliser costs fell to just 12 baht per rai after he switched from using chemical fertilisers to waste procured from local pig breeders.
''Not only have costs declined, but productivity has doubled after the switch to organic fertiliser,'' he added.
Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Next
