Thailand has enough water to produce second rice crop
The Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives plans to release water from dams to support farmers in planting their second rice crop due to higher-than-expected rainfall this year, the Bangkok Post have reported.
Bangkok (VNA) - The Thai Ministry of Agricultureand Cooperatives plans to release water from dams to support farmers inplanting their second rice crop due to higher-than-expected rainfall this year,the Bangkok Post have reported.
According to an October 11 report by the Department of Royal Irrigation, monsoonshitting the country since July have increased volumes of water in several dams.There have been 31 dams reaching over 80% of their water storage capacity.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow said the volume ofstored water is higher than predicted, which means additional water can bedischarged for the second round of rice planting. "We might be able tosend more water to support the second crop this year. We estimate that thefigure of the second plantation will not be much different from last year.
"But we will need to get approval from the rice planting committee. Afterthat, the decision will be forwarded to the National Water Resource Committeefor consideration," Capt Thamanat said as quoted by Bangkok Post.
He added that the ministry is also doing its best for watermanagement in the Central Plains to reduce impacts to people by bringing theincreased volumes of water into water retention zones in paddy fields.Currently, the volume of water for use is around 31.87 billion cu.m, 6.87 billion cu.m less than last year./.
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