Sugar - bittersweet

[parrot]

Sugarcane farmers.....late to harvest....are finding their loads turned away because the factories have met their quotas. The abundance of sugarcane is the result of many traditional rice farmers switching to sugar, and this year's crop exceeded harvest expectations by nearly 30%. Apparently, the factories cannot handle the extra load......and are turning away trucks.......and the farmers aren't happy campers. The farmers want the factories to continue accepting cane for an additional 15 days.
A meeting was scheduled to be held in Udon between the Sugar Cane Association and the farmers.

https://udon-today.com/2018/05/01/610501-2/

[the-monk]

Very SAD situation indeed, same for most cash crops, sugar, palm oil, rubber, cassava etc... and now i read that following Mr Ma ( Alibaba ) purchase of durian, there is a mad rush to plant Durian, which will fruit in 5-6 years from now.
Same story will repeat itself.

[parrot]

I don't know that it's fair to blame Mr. Ma.......back in 2015 it was reported that 90% of Thai durians were shipped to China, so there's been a demand there over the years. With more and more Chinese tourists coming to the country, no doubt the demand for the product there is growing as well. But you're right that the farmers who chase the proverbial pot of gold will be the ones to suffer.........oversupply, drought, bugs, storms...the farmer is usually the one who takes it in the shorts

[stattointhailand]

I'm finding the same problem with my Lemon trees. Due to excessively high output from my 2 trees in the garden I'm finding it harder and harder to drink enough G & T's to use it all up this year

[the-monk]

Maybe we should start an exchange ( barter ) program your lemons for our GAC fruits..

[Barney]

Would the farmers have not made arrangements and agreements or visa versa with the mills in regard to quotas prior to planting?
I'll bet the experienced cane growers have cornered the market for sales with the mllls to keep the newbies at bay.
Dog eat dog world.

[Sport]

The Govt. could step in and help as they did with the rice scheme a few years back.

[stattointhailand]

The Govt. could step in and help as they did with the rice scheme a few years back.

Wrong family

[Sport]

Yes I know a different family, hoping for a bite.

[Hoopoe]

On average here in Kuphawapi the mill shuts before songkran as everyone has it all harvested ,but it is still running 24/7 pumping out toxic waste all over the town ,hospital is full of chest infection patients , lucky i moved further out ,

[stattointhailand]

Yes I know a different family, hoping for a bite.

Sorry Sport ......... btw, have you tried one of the "gun topics" ? there's usually a clown or two willing to try and defend the undefendable

[Doodoo]

Barney
Great idea about making contracts with the Sugar Mills but here is the downside

Farmer makes a contract for so many tons at a set price with the Mill
Then the year is a GREAT year and so much product and the farmer cant sell his excess tonnage. So the price of cane on the open market heads for the cellar putting the farmer in the corner
Now the opposite
Then a year of DISAPPONITMENT, due to say weather. The farmer cant fill his contract to the Mill and has to go to the open market to buy Cane to fill his contract, BUT he soon finds out the price of cane on the open market is out of this world.

So in the end the only winners are the Buyers of Cane, fertilizer sales, implement suppliers, fuel distributors.

The Farmer will still be slugging it out in the fields, living in a wooden huts etc