Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Farmer urged to restore rice lost to floods without delay

Farmer urged to restore rice lost to floods without delay

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Rice field damaged by flood is replanted in Pursat province. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Farmer urged to restore rice lost to floods without delay

An officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has urged farmers to quickly cultivate their land again in order to prevent further economic losses for themselves and rebound from this year’s widespread flooding.

Kong Kea, head of the ministry’s General Department of Rice Crops, said on November 13 that with the floodwaters having receded, the majority of farmers are busy cultivating their land again after their paddy fields were inundated earlier this year and their crops damaged.

As of November 13, the cultivation of 2,784ha in Kratie province by rice farmers is at 100 per cent utilizing over 281 tonnes of seed from several different rice varieties. Farmers have cultivated 93 per cent of 3,125ha in Tbong Khmum, and 72 per cent of over 10,000ha in Kampong Thom. In Pursat province, farmers have cultivated just 16 per cent, or 1,105ha, out of the damaged 9,321ha of rice crops.

“The industry and effort of our farmers show that they have strived to restore and boost their household income to contribute to a reduction in poverty in their rural communities,” he said.

However, in some areas the farmers are reluctant or hesitant to restart their rice crops again, saying there is still standing water in their fields that prevent them from using power tillers or tractors there.

Has Saline, a 45-year-old farmer in O’Kanthor commune of Kampong Thom province’s Stung Sen district, said: “I will start to grow rice and restore it later in November because now my paddy fields still have knee-high standing water. So now I cannot use a power tiller there to plough my fields.”

However, Kea advised that farmers could use mechanised pumps to remove the water from their paddy fields and then plough their fields to kill the grass in advance before they sow the rice varieties. He cautioned that waiting for the waters to recede entirely is a lost opportunity for a larger harvest, especially for growing dry-season rice in the coming year.

“If we delay growing rice and restore it now, we will lose more opportunities to grow dry-season rice. But if we start now, we will be able to harvest rice in mid-February and be able to continue producing dry-season rice that can be harvested between May and June 2023 without worrying about the lack of irrigation water,” he said.

Tum Niro, director of the Stung Treng provincial Fisheries Administration (FiA) cantonment, said that in the previous rainy season, floods had damaged 187ha of rice fields and damaged a total of 334ha of horticultural crops. But since Stung Treng is a plateau, the restoration of rice cultivation is not possible because the irrigation system to supply water there remains limited, he noted.

“According to the present situation, most of our farmers in Stung Treng province need vegetable seeds and other cash crops that can be grown in a short time with some used as a food reserve. They cannot restore their rice because there is no adequate water for irrigation,” he told The Post.

MOST VIEWED

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • Honda shutters Siem Reap football club

    Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda, the owner of Siem Reap football club Soltilo Angkor FC, has been forced to shut the club down, after it failed to attract sponsorship for the upcoming season. Honda, the former manager of the Cambodia men's national football team, said

  • Hun Sen warns of regional tensions

    ASIA is becoming a dangerous geopolitical hotspot, with several countries announcing that they intend to send naval vessels towards Southeast Asia and on to the South China Sea, warned Prime Minister Hun Sen. “Heated geopolitical issues can easily escalate, namely to war. I am not

  • PM declares ASEAN Para Games open

    The 12th ASEAN Para Games officially kicked off on the evening of June 3 at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring fireworks and performances by some of the Kingdom’s most accomplished talents. Tens of thousands of sports fans