UTHAI THANI, Thailand – A Thai farmer says she will abandon rice cultivation after her final harvest this month, as soaring fuel and fertilizer costs have made the profession unsustainable.
Jamroon, a 70-year-old farmer in Uthai Thani province, said high fuel prices, now exceeding 50 baht per liter, have prevented her from running water pumps. This has left her 20-rai (3.2-hectare) plot parched and the rice grains underdeveloped.
“I’ve farmed my whole life and never seen fuel this expensive,” Jamroon said. “I can’t go on anymore.”
Beyond fuel, she faces rising fertilizer prices, which have jumped from 800 baht to nearly 1,300 baht per bag. Her expected yield has plummeted from 25 tonnes to fewer than 8 tonnes. At the current market price of 5,800 baht per tonne, the harvest will not cover her investment.
Logistical burdens have also increased, with harvester rental fees rising to 600 baht per rai. Additionally, contractors now require the farmer to provide extra fuel. Following this harvest, Jamroon plans to leave her land fallow, citing the inability to cope with the record-high costs. (TNA)
