Farmers unenthusiastic over using organic instead of chemical fertiliser

The government plans to allocate 6 billion baht to purchase organic fertiliser for distribution to farmers, as an alternative to chemical fertiliser, urea in particular, which has become scarce and more expensive as a result of global oil crisis.

This idea is not, however, being welcomed by many farmers, who were reported to be unfamiliar with organic fertiliser or how to use it and believe that it is not as effective as the chemical type.

Rice farmers in Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet provinces have complained that the price of urea formula 46-0-0 has, of late, jumped to 1,300-1,500 baht per 100kg sack. Worse still, there is a shortage of the product.

The price of paddy is currently about 6,000 baht per tonne.

Use of urea for rice farming accounts for 51% of domestic consumption, followed by other cash crops such as oil palm, sugarcane and para rubber.

A rice farmer in Ban Bang Mafo in Krok Phra district of Nakhon Sawan recently told a Thai PBS reporter that, throughout his life as a farmer, he has been using chemical fertiliser because it is effective and it does not take a long time for the rice to be ready for harvest, compared to organic fertiliser which takes longer.

Noppadol Munsak, manager of the Foundation of Farmers’ School Networks in Nakhon Sawan, observed that there are too many formulae of organic fertiliser, which is confusing to farmers, leaving them reluctant to switch from chemical to organic fertiliser.

Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Arnat Tancho, director of the Natural Agriculture Research and Development Centre at Maejo University, voiced his support for the government’s organic fertiliser plan, but pointed out that there may not be sufficient supply to meet demand in the short run.

He suggested that the government support each province in producing its own organic fertiliser for long-term sustainability, adding that sugarcane and tapioca farmers are facing the same problem as rice farmers.