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Published on October 24, 2007

"The weather is cooler than last year, making general production yields higher. The quality is also better," said farmers in Samoeng district.

District chief Weeradej Somwan said the planting area for strawberries as well as for other cool-weather vegetables, fruits and flowers had expanded from 2,500 to 3,000 rai this year.

However, despite the rise in productivity, farmers are concerned about the market and a drop in prices, said Wachira Wangwanawat, president of the Highland Farmers Group.

"The current price is only at around Bt2.50 to Bt3 per kilo, while investment costs are already Bt3 per kilo. Higher productivity largely depends on appropriate weather, which prevents plant diseases from spreading. But the market price could ruin the hopes of farmers," he said.

Weeradej said he planned to organise a festival for particular crops during the cooler months in order to solve the limited market options for farmers.

One festival is already planned for lychee between February 8 and 10 in Samoeng.

Wachira said low prices in the North were due to an increase of the planting area for high-price crops.

Farmers always switch their production to crops that command good prices in the previous year, thus creating a glut in the market.

"We should consider zoning measures to limit the planting area in future, in order to maintain the crop price at a reasonable rate. But this is difficult to implement based on my experience," he added.

Janjira Jarusuphawat

 The Nation

CHIANG MAI