110,000 rice farmers to switch to other crops, livestock

110,000 rice farmers to switch to other crops, livestock

A farmer redistributes young rice plants grown in a nursery field to a flooded paddy field. (file photo)
A farmer redistributes young rice plants grown in a nursery field to a flooded paddy field. (file photo)

About 110,000 rice-growing families whose land is not well-suited for the grain have signed up to a programme to help them switch to other crops or raising animals, Agriculture Department director-general Olarn Pithak said.

About 80,000 of them have opted for other crops and 30,000 for animal husbandry, Mr Olarn said.

The department would submit the list of these families to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for examination for eligility for loans. The cabinet had already approved 15 billion baht for the programme, he said.

The families eligible to participate live on a total of 570,000 rai of land in 40 provinces which is considered inappropriate for rice farming. Each family must have no more than 15 rai of land.

Families chosing to switch to other crops will each be allocated 30,144 baht to prepare their land for a supplementary occupation, for example raising fish or chickens.

Those who want to switch livestock will be eligible for a loan through an agriculture group at 2% interest and a repayment period of six years.

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