While Phetchabun’s deputy governor is opposing the expansion of contract potato farming at Phu Thap Boek mountain, local Hmong people say they prefer the crop to the ubiquitous cabbages that most farmers in the area grow.
Jai Sae Thao, a village chief in tambon Wang Badan of Lom Kao district, is a potato grower.
He said Hmong farmers had received support from a private company to grow potatoes for over a decade, with the planted area varying from 400 to 1,000 rai each year. Now the company wants to expand the area.
Deputy governor Kraisorn Kongchalard has warned intensive commercial potato farming would require heavy use of pesticides, which would contaminate the environment and nearby farms growing the chemical-free organic crops the area is known for.
However, Mr Jai said he was of the opinion potatoes required less use of chemicals than cabbages, Thai media reported on Wednesday. The tubers also had a short growing time of only 90 days and a guaranteed buying price of 14 baht a kilogramme. This satisfied farmers.
He said it was correct the company had to import potatoes to use as seed stock and that cost would be passed on to farmers. However, they expected to get a higher yield per rai.
Seed stock would be imported only when the area to be used for cultivation had been confirmed. Around 100 Phu Thap Boek farmers with 1,020 rai of fields between them had signed onto the scheme, the reports said. This had been certified by the Lom Kao district chief and an agriculture official.
The company had informed them that provincial authorities were now considering the issue. They hoped to be able to plant imported seed stock next season, starting in April.
“I understand the good intentions of the deputy governor, but changing the farmers' minds would take time and income is an important motivation.”
Mr Jai said the province had done well in initiating and encouraging organic farming, but buyers bought only about 2% of the produce. Most of the crops were still grown by conventional methods and were mostly sold through the wholesale market in Lom Kao.