The Deputy governor of Phetchabun is calling on local people to oppose a snackfood producer's plan to introduce contract potato farming on the popular tourist attraction of Phu Thap Boek mountain.
Kraisorn Kongchalard has warned intensive commercial potato farming would require heavy use of insecticides, which would contaminate the environment and nearby farms growing chemical-free organic crops.
He wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday that a snackfood producer of potato chips had sought permission from the province to import potatoes as seed stock for the expansion of its plantation network. The company wanted to promote contract farming at Phu Thap Boek.
“It seemed to be good, but when I heard the details I think this is a big issue,” Mr Kraisorn wrote.
He said what was planned was contract farming similar to the system a large Thai conglomerate had set up with maize growing, forcing farmers to use only its products - seeds, fertilisers and insecticides.
Phetchabun had a policy to reduce use of chemicals in agriculture, he said. Growing the potatoes would require the use of insecticide. There were strong winds around Phu Thap Boek that would blow insecticide spray over the valley, where it would affect the soil, food, air, water and plants grown by farmers producing organic crops.
Mr Kraisorn said Phu Thap Boek was suitable for growing temperate crops, but the company wanted to use the best growing land to produce “junk food, potato chips”.
Mr Kraisorn said there was no law authorising the province to forbid such permission being granted, so he suggested local people should campaign against growing produce harmful to the environment, especially produce to be processed into junk food.
On Tuesday, Mr Kraisorn added that there was no one to help in reviewing the contracts for the farmers, so he did not know at what level the farmers would be committed. He cited the example of maize growing, which kept the farmers poor because when the price of maize rose the private sector imported wheat instead for use in stock feed.
“I want to create consumer awareness, to make the private sector more responsible to society. Villagers may look only at the return for their work, without realising the real cost or long-term image.”
“Phu Thap Boek is a tourist attraction with nature and the weather as its selling point. If there is spraying of chemicals, or contamination, in the area no one will want to visit there, or to buy the contaminated farm produce,” said Mr Kraisorn.
He also cited the example of Tak province's Phop Phra district, where many farmers in three tambons planted with around 5,000 rai of potatoes suddenly found their crop had failed. They could not harvest the potatoes as their plants had rotted.
The farmers demand for compensation spread into a months-long dispute. The company eventually agreed to pay 16.8 million baht in total compensation to end the case.