The rice farming season has begun. In the next few months, when harvest period kicks off, we can expect to hear from Thai farmers complaining about the falling price of their produce.
According to a recent report by Post Today, the Office of Agricultural Economics is concerned about the rice harvest this year, which will produce a total of 33 million tonnes. That means there will be an oversupply of 4 million tonnes.
Eventually, the government may subsidise the price. This happens over and over again like a rerun of a Hollywood blockbuster. For decades, rubber, tropical fruits and many local products have faced the same situation. When the seasonal supplies find their way into the market, prices go down, leaving farmers with no gains, only pains.
While the government has been pushing the country towards the Thailand 4.0 digital era, a new generation of farmers, who have had enough of failing prices, decided to stop waiting and have begun to take a digital approach themselves.
Sirimanee Maneethapho, a young generation farmer in Phitsanulok province, had invested in the growing of a particular species of rice just to find out that the merchant who asked her to grow it disappeared when her rice was ready for harvest. Left with tonnes of rice on her hands, she decided to utilise her Facebook network of friends to solve the problem.
Within three months, she sold five tonnes of rice at 30,000 baht per tonne, three times the price offered by the missing merchant.
A few other rice farmers have taken their marketing strategies to another level. They use a computerised control system to farm organically, showing their green paddies and chemical-free procedures through social media. Of course, organic rice draws a lot of attention from health-conscious consumers, who are always in search for fresh produce from clean farms.
In the digital era, social media is available at our fingertips. It's a double-edge sword, though. Some may be buried in the ocean of social network information while others learn to utilise it wisely.
Sookjit Orchard in Trat province discovered web pages and Facebook as new marketing outlets. Fruit orchard owner Rujinee Santikul photographs her produce and informs her followers through social media on what fruits are available. She picks fruits and sends to clients daily via a mailing service.
In my neighbourhood, there is a housewife who wanted to earn extra money by cooking meals. Instead of opening a restaurant, which meant a big budget, she uses her Facebook page to post the dishes she is about to cook for dinner. She receives orders and delivers to her clients when she picks up her children from school.
Instead of investing a huge amount on a new restaurant, she bought a new phone that is able to take good pictures of the food she cooks. Now, she has launched a breakfast menu and delivers orders when she drives her children to school in the morning. Her homemade cuisine initiative has started well, with just a small outlay and of course, low risk.
Pla kulao (threadfin fish) from Tak Bai is another successful example of a local business operator getting into the digital era. The fish is a speciality of Narathiwat province, particularly from Tak Bai district. It is just salted fish, but the secret recipe of each family makes it special. It's known for its fragrance and fine taste. A kilogramme of this famous fish dish costs 1,500 baht. However, its time-consuming production process makes pla kulao from Tak Bai a rare dish. You have to wait months before getting the fish you ordered.
Producers, however, do not keep their clients waiting in boredom. Some of them have launched websites which allow clients to place orders online.
Photos of the fish seasoned exclusively for the clients are sent directly to them. Video clips showing how to cook and enjoy the fish properly are available on the web pages.
Stylish packaging make them modern gifts that please every receiver.
Pla kulao from Narathiwat has now become a premium product.
Indeed, in the digital era, a number of useful applications are available. They can make our lives easier and at the same time, enable us to do unbelievable things.
This can be one method modern farmers should rely on instead of only waiting for the government to lend a helping hand.
Peerawat Jariyasombat is a travel writer of the Life section of the Bangkok Post.