THAI RICE: SUSTAINABLE LIFE FOR RICE GROWERS

Pramote Vanichanont, Thai Rice Millers Association, Bangkok

ABSTRACT

For more than 100 countries in the world, "Rice is Life". Especially in Asian countries when rice is mostly cultivated. Rice is a simple and cheapest staple food. More than that more than a million people are in the rice industry, both women and men. However, it is interesting to know that at the top and the end linkage are in the same situation: lower income, fewer technologies, and fewer opportunities to improve their planting ways, less money to buy what they’d like to eat. "Person who buys is not the one who eats." What group should we help: Poor consumers or Poor producers?

In Thailand, rice takes many actions for Thai people. It is not only been eaten but also reversed to ceremony as part of culture. It has engaged a large amount of country income, about 1 700-1 900 million US dollars in each year and, involving more than 4 million households.

Today, rice growers’ lives are under the pressure from competition in the world market. Unlikely industrial products, where prices are set up from the factories, the commodity products as rice are set from the market. The export strong subsidy and trade barriers, where are prevalent in so called "free trade system" pass on their side effect to the poor growers. There are many developed countries still support their farmers by using some mechanism such as price support, exporting support and subsidies. On the other hand, some developing countries, including Thailand, have to help or protect their poor people with government Programmes: intervention Programme, income support and more. It is no doubt that the expenses from the developed countries and the developing countries could not compare each other. More over, tariff and non tariff trade barrier are applied in many countries with a primary objective of protecting domestic farmers. Therefore, the trade subsidy and unreasonable barrier are the challenge for the world rice market and also the challenge for the fair and free trade system. With a heavy rice subsidy from developed countries rice selling price in the world market is depressed to the lower level than it should be.

In the tough rice trade, competing in the rice seed species, reducing production costs and achieving gratin market share are exciting challenges. There are many existing rice producing/exporting counties and new comer countries getting into the rice market. Thailand, which is the one in the rice growing country, has to have a good plan for this tough situation in the near future. How to achieving a sustainable development to Thai rice industry and how to improve the living standard for Thai rice growers are the main priority key policies.

How to reduce production cost? Chemical fertilizers and pesticide become additive planting materials for rice growers. 3R ideals should be applied: Reduce, Recess and Refrain from unnecessary chemicals and pesticides. Moreover, the Royal speech of His majestic the king on the rice farming system especially focused on the sustainable agriculture, green food and the self-sufficiency theory. Being an efficient cogwheel could help the country to have efficient economy.

From His Majesty the King’s speech, the project of "Rice Seed Bank" is established. Follow by "Rice Centre" from the government project. These could help Thai growers have good quality rice seed and finally have higher net income.

Food security problem, well being of rice growers problems, environmental problems and sanitary aspect of rice growers, farmers and consumers are under the world attention. Rice seed for Thailand has 2 important dimensions: 1) The role of food security and 2) The role of commercial food. Thailand is the land of rice. 55 percent of rice is consumed by domestic consumption. For Thai growers, reduction of production cost is an easiest way to improve standard of living. Moreover, there are many critical questions waiting for us to find the answer. Environmental problems, unreasonable using chemical and pesticide, and sanitary for producers and consumers are the critical questions in Thailand. Therefore, IPM, GAP and ORGANIC RICE have attracted more attention in a farm level in order to reducing chemicals and pesticide, reducing production cost and help themselves to sustain their living life. Which we hope these methods are good way for farmers, for consumers and for the world.

Le riz thaï: Un mode de vie durable pour les riziculteurs

Pramote Vanichanont, Thai Rice Millers Association (Thaïlande)

RÉSUMÉ

Pour plus de 100 pays dans le monde, le ‘riz, c’est la vie’. Cela est particulièrement vrai dans les pays asiatiques ou le riz est la culture principale. L’industrie rizicole emploie plus d’un million de personnes, aussi bien des hommes que des femmes. Il est toutefois intéressant de noter que les situations sont identiques aux deux extrémités de la chaîne: moins de revenus, moins de technologies pour améliorer leurs méthodes de plantation, moins d’argent pour acheter ce que l’on souhaiterait manger. "Celui qui achète n’est pas celui qui mange." Quel groupe doit-on aider: les consommateurs pauvres ou les producteurs pauvres?

En Thaïlande, le riz remplit plusieurs fonctions. Il n’est pas seulement une source d’alimentation, mais sert aussi aux cérémonies qui font partie de la vie culturelle. Il représente des revenus nationaux importants de l’ordre de 1 700 à 1 900 millions de dollars E.U. par an et fait vivre plus de 4 millions de ménages.

Aujourd’hui, la concurrence du marché mondial menace les moyens d’existence des riziculteurs. Contrairement aux produits industriels, les prix du riz sont fixés par le marché et non par l’usine. Les fortes subventions à l’exportation et les obstacles au commerce - nombreux dans ce que l’on appelle le ‘système du libre-échange’ - sont préjudiciables aux cultivateurs pauvres. Nombre de pays développés continuent de protéger leurs agriculteurs par des mécanismes divers, comme le soutien des prix et les subventions à l’exportation. Par ailleurs, certains pays en développement, dont la Thaïlande, doivent mettre en place des programmes gouvernementaux (programmes d’intervention, soutien des revenus et autres) pour protéger les pauvres. Les dépenses encourues par les pays développement et les pays développés ne sont bien sûr pas comparables. De nombreux pays appliquent également des barrières tarifaires et non tarifaires au commerce dans le but principal de protéger leurs agriculteurs. Les subventions et les obstacles abusifs au marché posent un défi au marché rizicole mondial et à un système de commerce libre et équitable. Les subventions importantes accordées au riz par les pays développés ont pour effet de déprimer le prix de vente sur le marché international à un niveau inférieur à ce qu’il devrait être.

Sur le rude marché rizicole, être en concurrence pour des variétés de semences, réduire les coûts de production et obtenir une part de taille sur le marché sont des défis stimulants. Il existe déjà de nombreux pays producteurs et exportateurs de riz, et de nouveaux venus rejoignent le marché. La Thaïlande, qui est l’un des pays producteurs, doit mettre rapidement au point une stratégie efficace dans cet âpre contexte. Parvenir à un développement durable de la rizerie thaïe et améliorer le niveau de vie des riziculteurs nationaux sont les axes prioritaires des politiques.

Comment réduire les coûts de production? Les engrais chimiques et les pesticides sont devenus des intrants nécessaires à la riziculture. Il faudrait toutefois appliquer la règle des 3R (Reduce, Recess and Refrain): réduire, retirer et éviter les produits chimiques et les pesticides inutiles. Le Roi, dans son discours sur le système rizicole, a également souligné l’importance d’une agriculture durable, des aliments verts et de l’autosuffisance. Si l’on tient compte de ces aspects, l’économie pourrait devenir plus performante.

À l’issue du discours de Sa Majesté, le projet de "banque de semences rizicoles" a été lancé. Un autre projet gouvernemental portant sur la création d’un "Centre rizicole" a également suivi. Ces deux initiatives devraient aider les cultivateurs thaïs à obtenir des semences de bonne qualité, et donc à accroître leurs revenus nets.

Les problèmes de sécurité alimentaire, du bien-être des riziculteurs, de l’environnement et des questions sanitaires touchant aussi bien aux producteurs qu’aux consommateurs de riz sont soumis à l’attention internationale. Le riz en Thaïlande revêt deux dimensions importantes: il joue un rôle 1) au niveau de la sécurité alimentaire et 2) en tant que produit commercial. La Thaïlande est une terre rizicole. La consommation intérieure de riz s’élève à 55 pour cent de la production. Pour les riziculteurs thaïs, la baisse des coûts de production est l’un des moyens les plus simples d’améliorer leur niveau de vie. De plus, il existe de nombreux problèmes cruciaux pour lesquels nous devons trouver des solutions. Les problèmes écologiques, l’utilisation excessive de produits chimiques et de pesticides et les questions sanitaires relatives aux producteurs et aux consommateurs sont de premier ordre en Thaïlande. La lutte intégrée contre les ravageurs, les bonnes pratiques agricoles et le RIZ BIOLOGIQUE mobilisent donc l’intérêt des cultivateurs pour leur permettre de réduire l’utilisation des produits chimiques et des pesticides, de faire baisser les coûts de production et d’améliorer leur niveau de vie. Ces méthodes, nous l’espérons, bénéficieront aux producteurs et aux consommateurs du monde entier.

Arroz tailandés: vida sostenible para los productores

Pramote Vanichanont, Asociación de la Industria Tailandesa del Arroz, Tailandia

RESUMEN

Para más de 100 países del mundo "El arroz es vida". En especial en los países asiáticos, donde más se cultiva el arroz. El arroz es un alimento básico sencillo y económico. Más de un millón de personas participan en la industria del arroz, hombres y mujeres. Sin embargo, cabe destacar que en la parte superior y en el eslabón final prevalece la misma situación: ingresos más bajos, menos tecnología y menos oportunidades de mejorar los métodos de siembra, menos dinero para comprar los alimentos que se quisieran consumir. "La persona que compra no es la que consume". ¿A cuál grupo habría que ayudar? ¿A los consumidores pobres o a los productores pobres?

En Tailandia el arroz es muy importante para el pueblo. No sólo se consume sino que forma parte de la cultura. Representa una gran parte de los ingresos del país, entre 1 700 y 1 900 millones de dólares EE.UU. al año, con la participación de más de 4 millones de familias.

Los productores de arroz de hoy sufren la presión de la competencia del mercado mundial. A diferencia de los productos industriales, donde las fábricas fijan los precios, el mercado establece los precios de los productos básicos, como el arroz. Las fuertes subvenciones a las exportaciones y los obstáculos comerciales, predominantes en el llamado "sistema comercial libre", producen efectos secundarios que afectan a los productores pobres. Hay muchos países desarrollados que siguen apoyando a sus campesinos mediante mecanismos como el apoyo a los precios, el apoyo a las exportaciones y los sbusidios. Por otra parte, algunos países en desarrollo, como Tailandia, tienen que ayudar o proteger a su población pobre con programas del gobierno: programas de intervención, apoyo a los ingresos y otros tipos de intervenciones. No cabe duda de que no puede compararse el gasto de los países desarrollados con el de los países en desarrollo. Es más, en muchos países se aplican obstáculos arancelarios y no arancelarios con el objetivo principal de protgeger a los productores del país. Por lo tanto, los subsidios al comercio y los obstáculos desmedidos son el desafío que afronta el mercado mundial del arroz, así como el desafío de un sistema comercial justo y libre. Debido a las fuertes subvenciones al arroz de los países desarrollados, el precio de venta del arroz en el mercado mundial ha llegado a un nivel más bajo del que debería tener.

En el duro comercio del arroz, competir en las especies de semillas de arroz, reducir los costos de producción y obtener una participación en el mercado de cereales son desafíos estimulantes. Hay muchos países productores y exportadores de arroz y otros que están incorporándose en este mercado. Tailandia, el país por excelencia en la producción de arroz, debe planificar bien sus actividades tomando en cuenta esta situación. Las prioridades de las políticas son cómo lograr un desarrollo sostenible para la industria tailandesa del arroz y cómo mejorar el nivel de vida de los productores tailandeses de arroz.

¿Cómo reducir los costos de producción? Los fertilizantes y los plaguicidas químicos se convierten en insumos necesarios para los productores de arroz. Es necesario aplicar tres medidas ideales: reducir, hacer pausas y contenerse de la utilización innecesaria de sustancias químicas y plaguicidas. Es más, el Rey ha sostenido, respecto a la producción de arroz, los principios de la agricultura sostenible, los abonos verdes y la autosuficiencia. Ser una rueda dentada eficaz podría ayudar al país a tener una ecnomía eficaz.

En el dicurso del Rey se establece el proyecto del banco de semillas de arroz, seguido del Centro del Arroz, del proyecto del gobierno. Esto podría ayudar a los productores tailandeses a contar con semillas de arroz de buena calidad y obtener finalmente ingresos netos más elevados.

El problema de la seguridad alimentaria, los problemas del bienestar de los productores de arroz, los problemas ambientales y el aspecto sanitario de los productores de arroz, los campesinos y los consumidores son objeto de la atención mundial. Las semillas de arroz tienen dos dimensiones importants para Tailandia: 1) La función de la seguridad alimentaria, y 2) la función de los alimentos comerciales. Tailandia es la tierra del arroz. El 55 por ciento del arroz se destina al consumo interno. Para el productor tailandés, reducir el costo de producción es la forma más fácil de incrementar el nivel de vida. Es más, existen muchas cuestiones críticas que es necesario resolver. Problemas ambientales, utilización desmedida de sustancias químicas y plaguicidas, y la sanidad de los productores y los consumidores son cuestiones críticas en Tailandia. Además, en el ámbito de la explotación agrícola interesan el manejo integrado de plagas, las buenas prácticas agrícolas y el arroz orgánico, a fin de reducir el uso de sustancias químicas y plaguicidas, reducir el costo de producción y contribuir a mantener los medios de subsistencia. Esperamos que estos métodos sean adecuados para los productores, los consumidores y para todo el mundo.

Thai rice: sustainable life for rice growers

Pramote Vanichanont, Thai Rice Millers Association, Thailand

Thailand’s rice production 2003/04

Main and second rice crops:

Main rice crop:

Second rice crop:

In Thailand, rice is a grain of strategic importance. It is the main food for 64.24 million people. Each year, we consume about 55 percent of our production while the remaining 45 percent are exported to the world market, which generates large income earnings to Thailand, of about 1 700 - 1 900 million US dollars per year.

Last year has seen the highest export volume of 7.58 million metric tonnes (MT). The total world market for rice is about 26-27 MT. With this market demand, Thailand has a market share of around 25 percent. At least 50 percent of Thai exported rice is 100 percent high-grade quality, long grain rice.

Although, Thailand has been the world number one rice exporter for more than a decade, Thai rice growers are still in the lower income class and very poor. Specially, more than 4 million rice growing households or 16 million of Thai people are destitute. The total income from rice cultivation is low and sometimes growers face natural disasters, both floods and droughts.

Given that world rice growers still face very poor living conditions and given that more than half of the world rice consumers are in the same situation what does "Rice is life" mean?

For more than one hundred countries in the world depend on rice as their staple food. For this reason, "Rice is life". This is especially true in Asian countries where most rice is cultivated. Rice is a simple and cheap staple, which constitutes the basis of the continent food security. Lack of rice supplies could cause starvation in parts of the world. For instance, in Africa, where food shortages are still a critical problem, many people died from famine every year.

"Rice is life" has a different meaning for the rice growers and for labour earnings, as rice is a major source of farmer incomes. According to FAO’s statistics, more than one million people depend on the sector. Both women and men participate in rice production. Rice cultivation is linked to many other activities and involves many people: rice growers, millers, post harvest operators and consumers.

However, it is interesting to note that the players at the bottom and at the top of the rice chain face similar situations. The majority of rice growers have low incomes, make use of low yielding technologies and have few opportunities to improve their lives. Similarly, poor consumers are generally poor and rice is their cheapest staple food. Now, we are talking about the poor consumers who have little choice in choosing what to eat. This brings us to the dilemma of which group should be helped: the poor consumers or the poor producers?

For more than half of humanity, "Rice is life". Rice is the staple food in Asia. In Thailand, the grain is not only eaten but also revered in ceremonies as part of the culture. It is the grain that has shaped a way of life, knowledge, belief and faith, custom, culture and economies in Asia and other parts of the world. This century has seen more changes than in any other time in history. The advent of electronic communications has made all geographic and cultural borders permeable, with nations eager to adopt the behaviours of others. In such a context, Thailand’s culture is endangered, and with it, the many traditions which make the country and its people so unique. However, it is no doubt that rice is still an integral part of the lives and well-being of Thai people. But with science and technology, belief and local wisdom have already disappeared and what remains is likely to follow suit. The importance of rice and its culture must be preserved by Thai people. Thus, it is very important that they are aware of the rice history and culture so that rice is kept as part of the country’s culture heritage for the next generations.

Trade barrier and rice subsidies

Today, rice growers face strong pressure from competition in the world market. Unlike industrial products, the prices of which are set up at the factory, agricultural commodity prices are set at the end link of the chain. Therefore, low world prices resulting from export subsidies and trade barriers that continue to prevail even in the so called "free trade system", are passed down to poor growers. Today we can separate nations into two groups: developed countries, which have more capital and higher technology capacity and hold market power on the world stage, and agricultural countries, which are both weak in capital and technologies and in bargainning power. Developed countries, for political reasons, have continued to support their rice farmers despite the fact that rice imported from other countries is cheaper. For instance, in America, the amount of subsidy granted to American rice farmers each year is huge. However, only 10 000 household of farmers grow rice. This compares with the four million households that grow rice in Thailand. These farmers are much weaker both in terms of ecomomic power and standards of living. Growers in Thailand have an average land per household of around 4 acres in the North-East and 12 acres in the central plains. Income per family with four people is US$ 523 per year in the North-East of Thailand, reaching US$ 718 if a second rice crop is cultivated.

Both tariff and non tariff trade barriers are applied by many countries. The Chinese rice market (excluding Hong Kong) provides an example of rice trade barriers which are not in the line with a truly free trading system. Before the opening of its market, China had a rice import quota governed through the control of currency exchange. Thailand exported up to 250 000 MT of fragrant rice to China, although Chinese demand is far greater than this figure. After China joined WTO, she committed to open the door to rice imports. As the Chinese rice import demand is estimated at more than 2 million tonnes, Thailand expected to export more fragrant rice to China and hoped to reach a quantity of 500 000 tonnes. Although as a result of efforts to penetrate the Chinese market over the past two years, demand for Thai rice in the major cities of Chongqing, Quangtong, Chengdu, and Shanghai has increased, at the national level this demand seems to be an illusion as the total export volume to China still stays at the same level. Indeed, many additional factors hinder rice exports to China. Japan and South Korea also use trade barriers to minimize imports, for the sake of protecting their own farmers.

Therefore, export subsidies and excessively high trade barriers constitute a major challenge to the world rice economy and to the construction of a fair and free trading system. Heavy rice subsidies in the developed countries depress rice international prices below their equilibrium level. Currently, governments of developing countries that are low cost producers, such as India, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, have adopted schemes to support rice prices. In the case of Thailand, billions of Baht have been spent on intervention programmes every year to sustain the incomes of rice farmers, who are among the poorest people in the country. At the same time, globalization pressures, under World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations to reduce both internal and export subsidies, have prompted the government to implement measures to foster competitiveness, without interventions. The challenge, in a free rice market system, which we hope is equally fair to every one, is how to bring greater well being to growers.

In rice trade, competing in the higher quality market, reducing production costs and achieving greater market share are exciting challenges

In the tough rice market, Thailand is not the only one player. The other major players are Vietnam, the United States, India, China, Pakistan and Australia, with smaller participants such as Myanmar. Last year, Myanmar exported up to 1 MT of rice to the world market. In the near future, with greater political stability and business freedom, along with the availability of a rich and virgin land and low production costs, Myanmar will be a potentially strong competitor on rice markets, one that we should keep a close eye on. In the near future, several rice growing countries in the South-East Asia are expected to increase their production surpluses for export to the world market, e.g. Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Thai fragrant rice (Thai Hom Mali Rice), for instance, is the premium long grain rice. At the price of 500-550 US$/MT/F.O.B Bangkok, it attracts many exporting and importing countries. In China, production of fragrant rice is promoted with the view to reducing dependency on Thai rice imports. Vietnam also developed four new varieties of fragrant rice, namely, KDM, JASMINE, VD20, and ST1. Therefore, the door to the fragrant rice market has now been opened.

What are Thailand plans?

Thailand has long been known as the world’s number one exporter, positioned in the high-end of the rice market. However, with limited production of 26-27 MT and tight margins, we need to look ahead and develop a planning strategy. The main challenges are how to achieve a sustainable development of the Thai rice industry and how to improve the living standard of Thai rice growers. Three groups of stakeholders are concerned:

• Producers, including growers and their families

• Milling sector, involving millers

• And marketing sector, involving exporters

The marketing sector

Thailand has a high export capability. More than 100 exporting companies have developed sale experience over 25 years. Exporters hold a very strong position in the Thai rice industry.

The milling sector

Over 10 years, about 900 large rice mills have been established and have improved their technologies. Using new and high technologies both for milling and packaging line, many have attainted GMP, ISO and HACCP standards.

Producers

However, the sector weakness lies on the production side, a very serious problem since more than 16 million of poor Thai people are involved.

One key strategy to improve farmers’ lives is to enhance rice seed development. Using less rice seed and producing more grain per planted area could help growers. Strong government support to rice research to improve rice production, raise yield, improve pest and disease tolerance and adding more nutrition could benefit both producers and consumers.

The most important question is how to reduce production costs. Both chemical fertilizers and pesticides have to be added to the planting materials, keeping in mind the three "R": "Reduce, Recess and Refrain". This constitutes an approach that should enable growers to reduce chemical and pesticides applications, to cut costs and to establish a strong-based production.

The total chemical fertilizer market for rice is about 1.7 MT. As the retail price is around 7 000-8 000 Baht (US$ 179-205 per tonne), rice producers spend some US$ 304-348 million on fertilizers, a very attractive market for multinational chemical companies. There are some research and experiments carried out by the Department of Agricultural Extension regarding the side effects of chemical fertiliser applications. In the longer run, using chemical fertilizers not only destroys the physical and biological properties of the soil but also endangers human and animal lives. In addition, each year, Thailand imports more than 30 000 MT of pesticides. The impacts on rice are not only felt at the level of the ordinary citizen but are also a concern to government leaders, including the King and the members of the Royal family. The Royal speech of His Majesty the King on rice farming systems especially focused on the development of a sustainable agriculture, organic food and the theory of self-reliance.

The intention is not only to teach Thai farmers to be self-reliant but also to help promote the development process. We should produce as much as our capacities and ability allow us to do, for the excess production we can sell, barter or exchange for something we could not produce. Beginning with a small efficient community, then we expand into an efficient national economy.

Furthermore, rice-based ecosystems are hubs to a wealth of bio-diversity and the planting material used by poor rice growers is derived from seeds that they produce themselves and that represent generations of locally preserved genetic resources. The integration between chemical fertilizers and self-made bio-fertilizers can cut production costs, reduce chemical utilization, therefore promoting more environment-friendly technologies. Following His Majesty the King’s speech, a "Rice Seed Bank" Project has been established. This bank exchanges producers’ own seeds with good quality seeds with the purpose to have clean and fine quality seeds planted and achieve a higher yield. This will also increase growers’ net income.

Another government project is the "Rice Centre". Although this Centre pursues similar objectives to the Rice Seed Bank project, it operates differently from the Rice Centre project. The Rice Centre provides certified rice seeds to efficient growers, who are supervised by agricultural extension officials. Each year, 900 000-1 000 000 tonnes of rice seeds are sold to member growers at just above break-even prices, much below market prices.

The sensitive issues as follows are now under the world attention

The food security problem
The well-being of rice growers
The environmental problems
The sanitary aspect of rice growers, farmers and consumers

For Thai growers, rice has two important dimensions. The first dimension relates to its role in bringing food security. Starvation is a major problem in this world. Today, the demand for food by the world population is still increasing. However, the supply of food, especially rice, a cheap grain, is limited. Luckily, we have the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). This research institution has food security as its objectives and plays a leading role in developing high quantity rice varieties such as "Super Rice". Moreover, major export and import countries also attempt to boost rice yields. Exporting countries want to increase their production. On the other hand, several of the importing countries want to achieve rice self-sufficiency. It is no doubt that in the near future, the world rice market will become smaller than before.

Second dimension relates to the marketing of rice and to the generation of incomes. Good quality and tasting rice could make the country earn a big amount of money. For growers, the reduction of production costs is the easiest way to improve their standards of living. The reduced application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and the usage of self-made bio-fertilizers are good for both the growers and the environment. "Do not look for high market prices but rather consider how much income you make" was His Majesty’s graciousness message to Thai rice growers.

Health sanitation and environment problem

There are many critical questions waiting for us to find the answer. Environment problem, the utilization of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, their impacts on the health of producers and consumers, all of these are critical to Thailand and have been set up as priority issues for the Thai rice sector.

Each year, the country spends million of dollars to import agricultural chemicals. For this reason, in Thailand, the Integration Pest Management (IPM) has given great attention to the reduction of chemical products usage or to the rationalization of its use by farmers. Again, this would help growers to cut their production costs and to be friendly to the environment.

Rice research and development have also dealt with Genetically Modified (GM) rice. This topic has led to interesting discussions, which seem far away from reaching a final answer. We do not know the effects those products will have. On the one hand, the ecological balance of nature gives us essential resources. On the other, one thing that makes humans different is the drive to conquer the nature, even when it is not necessary to do that.

In Thailand, rice growers are influenced by some major agricultural multinational enterprises. These companies are in the agricultural planting materials business, such as seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticide etc. In some ways, not only the growers are under their control but also government officials and politicians. Using chemical fertilizers and pesticides are the same as using drug. The more you use them, the more chemicals you need. It seems as if rice and other plants cannot grow to perfect conditions without heavy chemical applications. Today, we have found that production costs in Thailand are increasing rapidly to far too high levels. Moreover, growers and farmers’ health and sanitation are in critical conditions. This has led to growing resistance in some remote villages in the North- East of Thailand, which now stopped using all types of chemicals, where it was said, "If Monsanto goes back to the USA and never comes back again, our life will be safe."

The prevailing tendency in agricultural production is now to turn back to nature by using bio - fertilizers and more environment-friendly technologies. In Thailand, many interesting initiatives, such as Integration Pest Management (IPM), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Organic Rice, have become popular, because they have contribute to improving growers’ lives.

I hope that all of us that are directly and indirectly in the rice business concur that this is the right path, one which is good for farmers, good for consumers and, finally, good for the world.