General Information
· Tropical Wet and Dry, Tropical Wet
· Total land area: 51 089 000
· Internal renewable water resources: 110 km3
· Incoming water flow: 69 km3
· GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ 5 524
· Main food consumed: Rice, Sugar & Honey, Oil & Fat, Meat, Nuts
· Rice supply, 1999: 151.2 kg paddy/capita/year
Basic Statistics
|
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
|
RICE |
|
|
|
|
|
Harvested area (M ha) |
9.83 |
8.79 |
9.11 |
10.04 |
|
Yield (kg/ha) |
2060 |
1955 |
2415 |
2329 |
|
Production (M t) |
20.26 |
17.19 |
22.01 |
23.40 |
|
Imports (t) |
0 |
0 |
68 |
NA |
|
Exports (M t) |
4.06 |
4.01 |
6.19 |
NA |
|
OTHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
Population (M) |
51.14 |
55.59 |
58.61 |
NA |
|
Agr population (M) |
30.94 |
31.62 |
30.93 |
NA |
|
Irrigated agr area (T ha) |
3822 |
4238 |
4590 |
NA |
|
Fertilizer cons (T t) |
433 |
1043 |
1507 |
NA |
|
Agr tractor in use (T units) |
31 |
57 |
148 |
NA |
Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons
Rice is grown in all provinces of the country (more than 58 provinces). More than 50 percent of the total rice areas are in the northeast, but the Central Plains is known as the "rice bowl" of Thailand. The following table shows the rice-harvested areas in producing zones.
|
Production zone |
Harvested area (% total harvested area) |
|
Ubon Ratchatthami |
6.31 |
|
Nakhon Ratchasima |
5.15 |
|
Surin |
5.04 |
|
Roi Et |
4.64 |
|
Buri Ram |
4.60 |
|
Udon Thami |
4.38 |
|
Sisaket |
4.06 |
|
Sakon nakhon |
3.05 |
|
Suphan Buri |
2.82 |
|
Maha sarakham |
2.62 |
|
Phichit |
2.55 |
|
Khon khen |
2.40 |
|
Prachin Buri |
2.36 |
|
Kalasin |
2.24 |
|
Chachoengsao |
2.17 |
|
Kamphaeng Phet |
2.13 |
|
Chiang rai |
2.11 |
|
Nakhon Sawan |
2.11 |
|
Phra nakhon si Ayuthaya |
2.02 |
|
Chaiyaphum |
1.91 |
|
Phitsanulok |
1.89 |
|
Nong khai |
1.89 |
|
Yasothon |
1.81 |
|
Nakhon phanom |
1.69 |
|
Chai Nat |
1.65 |
|
Lop Buri |
1.57 |
|
Sukhothai |
1.50 |
|
Nakhon Si Thammarat |
1.49 |
|
Phetchabun |
1.48 |
|
Nakhon Pathom |
1.19 |
|
Ratchaburi |
1.08 |
|
Chiang mai |
1.07 |
|
Pathum Thani |
0.95 |
|
Kanchanaburi |
0.94 |
|
Phayao |
0.87 |
|
Uthai thani |
0.87 |
|
Nakhon Nayok |
0.82 |
|
Lampang |
0.81 |
|
Phatthalung |
0.81 |
|
Saraburi |
0.80 |
|
Uttaradit |
0.78 |
|
Sing buri |
0.75 |
|
Phetchaburi |
0.73 |
|
Mukdahan |
0.72 |
|
Ang thong |
0.69 |
|
Surat thani |
0.65 |
|
Loei |
0.55 |
|
Nonthaburi |
0.54 |
|
Pattani |
0.46 |
|
Tak |
0.43 |
|
Chon buri |
0.41 |
|
Phrae |
0.39 |
|
Lamphun |
0.38 |
|
Nan |
0.37 |
|
Bangkok Metro metropolis |
0.33 |
|
Narathiwat |
0.27 |
|
Trang |
0.21 |
|
Samut Prakan |
0.20 |
|
Mae hong son |
0.20 |
|
Rayong |
0.13 |
|
Chanthaburi |
0.13 |
|
Prachuap khiri khan |
0.13 |
|
Yala |
0.13 |
|
Samut sakhon |
0.12 |
|
Krabi |
0.09 |
|
Phangnga |
0.04 |
|
Samut songkhram |
0.01 |
In northern and northeastern regions, main rice season lasts from May to December, while in the southern region, main rice crop lasts from September to May. The following table shows the rice-cropping season in the country.
|
|
Planting |
Harvesting |
|
North & Central, major season |
5-7 |
11-12 |
|
North & Central, minor season |
12-1 |
5-6 |
|
South, major season |
9-11 |
3-5 |
|
South, minor season |
4-5 |
8-9 |
Production Practices
The following figure shows the harvested areas from different rice ecologies during the last five years.
Upland rice has a relatively small holding area in the mountainous areas of the northern hilly zones in the extreme northeast and in some areas of the south. Upland rice is also intercropped with newly planted rubber and oil palm. Deepwater rice is mostly found in the lower northern region and the Central Plains. In rainfed lowland areas, Rice-Mungbean, Rice-Maize, Rice-Groundnut are popular cropping systems. Rice-Rice system is widely practised in irrigated areas of the Central Plains. Land preparation is done with animal traction or with tractors, especially in the Central Plains. Upland and deepwater rice crops are established by dry seeding method. Transplanting is dominant method of crop establishment for rainfed lowland and irrigated rice in the northern and northeastern regions. In the central region, the seeding of pre-germinated seed to wet soils has increasingly replaced transplanting as method of rice crop establishment in irrigated rice production in order to cut production costs.
Thailand is famous for its mild aromatic and high grain quality variety Khao Daw Mali 105. About 30 percent of rice produced in the country, however, are glutinous. Glutinous rice is popular in the north-eastern region. About 90 percent of the main season rice areas are still planted to tall improved and/or local varieties, while almost 100 percent of the irrigated rice areas are planted to semidwarf high-yielding varieties. In 1996, the area occupied by Khao Dawk Mali 105 was 26 percent, RD 6 was 26 percent, RD 15 was 3 percent, other local/traditional varieties were 29 percent and HYVs was 15 percent of the total harvested area.
· Irrigated rice varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
Growth duration (days) |
|
Niaw San Pahtawing |
NA |
NA |
|
Phitsanulok 60 2 |
1985-89 |
135 |
|
RD 1 |
before 1975 |
130 |
|
RD 10 |
1980-84 |
130 |
|
RD 11 |
1975-79 |
135 |
|
RD 2 |
before 1975 |
130 |
|
RD 21 |
1980-84 |
125 |
|
RD 23 |
1980-84 |
125 |
|
RD 25 |
1980-84 |
100 |
|
RD 3 |
before 1975 |
130 |
|
RD 4 |
before 1975 |
115 |
|
RD 5 |
before 1975 |
150 |
|
RD 7 |
1975-79 |
125 |
|
RD 9 |
1975-79 |
115 |
|
Suphanburi 60 |
1985-89 |
120 |
· Rainfed lowland rice varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
Growth duration (days) |
|
RD 13 |
NA |
NA |
|
RD 27 |
NA |
NA |
|
RD 8 |
1975-79 |
NA |
|
Chai Nat 1 |
1990-94 |
130 |
|
Hawm Klong Luang 1 |
1995-99 |
115 |
|
Hawm Suphanburi |
1995-99 |
120 |
|
Kaen Chan |
NA |
NA |
|
Khao Dawk Mali 105 |
NA |
NA |
|
Luang Pathew 123 |
NA |
NA |
|
Neaw Sanpatong |
NA |
NA |
|
Niaw Ubon 2 |
1995-99 |
NA |
|
Phrae 1 |
1990-94 |
130 |
|
Suphanburi 1 |
1990-94 |
120 |
|
Suphanburi 2 |
1990-94 |
115 |
|
Suphanburi 90 |
1990-94 |
120 |
|
Thai Jasmine |
NA |
NA |
|
Khao Ta Haeng 17 |
NA |
NA |
|
Nubn-1 |
1980-84 |
NA |
|
Pathumthani 60 |
1985-89 |
NA |
|
Phathalung 60 |
1985-89 |
NA |
|
Phitsanulok 60 1 |
1985-89 |
NA |
|
RD 15 |
1975-79 |
NA |
|
RD 6 |
1975-79 |
NA |
· Deepwater varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
|
BKNFR 76014-51-5-1 |
NA |
|
HTA7205-11 |
NA |
|
HUNTRA 60 |
1985-89 |
|
IR 11185-0-0-0-416-1 |
NA |
|
Khao Puong 32 |
NA |
|
Leb Mue Nahng 111 |
NA |
|
Nahng Chalong |
NA |
|
Pin Gaew 56 |
NA |
|
Plai Ngham |
NA |
|
RD 17 |
1975-79 |
|
RD 19 |
1975-79 |
|
SPR 7233-32-1-6-1 |
NA |
|
SPR 7270-18 |
NA |
|
Tah Pow Gaew 161 |
NA |
· Upland varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
|
Dawn Payawn |
1975-79 |
|
Dawn Payorm |
NA |
|
Goo Muang Payom |
NA |
|
Goo Mueang Luang |
1975-79 |
|
Jao Haw |
1985-89 |
|
Khao Pong Krai |
1985-89 |
|
Nam Roo |
1985-89 |
|
Siew Dam |
NA |
|
Siew Kao=Sew Khao |
NA |
|
Siew Mae Jan=Sew Mae Jan |
1975-79 |
In the central region, weed control with herbicides is popular; farmers generally applied high rates of fertilizers to irrigated rice; and harvest and threshing operations are increasingly mechanised. However, in the other regions hand weeding is generally practised; farmers may apply fertilizer but at low rates; and harvesting and threshing are done manually in most cases. The following table shows the responses of rice to fertilizer application.
|
Other information |
Test range (kg/ha) |
Control rate (kg/ha) |
Control yield (t/ha) |
Rate at Maximum yield (kg/ha) |
Maximum yield (t/ha) |
|
Nitrogen (N), Rainfed lowland Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 60, Central region, |
0-50 |
0 |
1.73 |
50 |
2.75 |
|
Reported in 60, North-eastern region |
0-50 |
0 |
1.16 |
50 |
2.07 |
|
Reported in 60, Northern region |
0-50 |
0 |
2.75 |
25 |
3.2 |
|
Reported in 60, Southern region |
0-50 |
0 |
2.46 |
25 |
3.13 |
|
Reported in 61, Central region |
0-50 |
0 |
1.97 |
50 |
2.91 |
|
Reported in 61, Northeastern region |
0-50 |
0 |
1.23 |
50 |
2.27 |
|
Reported in 61, Northern region |
0-50 |
0 |
2.55 |
50 |
3.35 |
|
Reported in 61, Southern region |
0-50 |
0 |
1.67 |
50 |
2.94 |
|
Reported in 58, Northeastern region |
0-75 |
0 |
1.45 |
75 |
1.82 |
|
Reported in 58, Northeastern region, with 75 P + 75 K kg/ha |
0-75 |
0 |
2.05 |
75 |
2.89 |
|
Reported in 58, Northern region |
0-75 |
0 |
1.85 |
75 |
2.51 |
|
Nitrogen (N), Irrigated Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 1988, Sulfic Tropaquepts soils at Pathum Thani Rice Research Center, with 16 kg P + 33 kg K/ha |
0-116 |
0 |
1.5 |
58 |
3.7 |
|
Reported in 1986, Chatnai, with 22 kg P/ha |
0-150 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Reported in 1986, Pathum Thani, with 22 kg P/ha |
0-150 |
0 |
3 |
100 |
3.8 |
|
Reported in 1986, Supahn Buri, with 22 kg P/ha |
0-150 |
0 |
3.2 |
100 |
6 |
|
Reported in 1986, Chatnai, with 44 kg P/ha |
0-200 |
0 |
2.3 |
100 |
5.1 |
|
Reported in 1986, Pathum Thani, with 44 kg P/ha |
0-200 |
0 |
4 |
200 |
7.8 |
|
Reported in 1986, Supahn Buri, with 44 kg P/ha |
0-200 |
0 |
2.6 |
100 |
7.1 |
|
Phosphorus (P2O5), Rainfed lowland Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 58, Northern region |
0-75 |
0 |
1.85 |
75 |
2.35 |
|
Reported in 58, Northern region, with 75 kgN/ha |
0-75 |
0 |
2.58 |
75 |
3 |
|
Reported in 58, Northeastern region, |
0-75 |
0 |
1.45 |
75 |
1.85 |
|
Reported in 58, Northeastern region, 75 kgN/ha |
0-75 |
0 |
2.02 |
75 |
2.89 |
|
Reported in 60, Northern region |
0-25 |
0 |
2.75 |
25 |
3.08 |
|
Reported in 60, Central region |
0-25 |
0 |
1.73 |
25 |
2.16 |
|
Reported in 60, North-eastern region |
0-25 |
0 |
1.16 |
25 |
1.47 |
|
Reported in 60, Southern region |
0-25 |
0 |
2.46 |
25 |
2.71 |
|
Reported in 61, Northern region |
0-25 |
0 |
2.55 |
25 |
3.08 |
|
Reported in 61, Central region |
0-25 |
0 |
1.97 |
25 |
2.36 |
|
Reported in 61, North-eastern region |
0-25 |
0 |
1.23 |
25 |
1.67 |
|
Reported in 61, Southern region |
0-25 |
0 |
1.67 |
25 |
2.4 |
|
Phosphorus (P2O5), Irrigated Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 1986, Chatnai, with 50 kgN/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Reported in 1986, Pathum Thani, with 50 kgN/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
2.2 |
44 |
4 |
|
Reported in 1986, Supahn Buri, with 50 kgN/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
3 |
44 |
3.5 |
|
Reported in 1986, Chatnai, with 100 kg N/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
4.2 |
22 |
5.5 |
|
Reported in 1986, Pathum Thani, with 100 kg N/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
2.5 |
44 |
4 |
|
Reported in 1986, Supahn Buri, with 100 kg N/ha |
0-44 |
0 |
5.5 |
22 |
6 |
|
Potassium (K2O), Rainfed lowland Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 60, Central region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
2.75 |
25 |
2.84 |
|
Reported in 60, Northeastern region with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
2.07 |
25 |
2.17 |
|
Reported in 60, Southern region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
3.12 |
25 |
3.26 |
|
Reported in 61, Northern region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
3.35 |
25 |
3.39 |
|
Reported in 61, Central region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
2.91 |
25 |
2.85 |
|
Reported in 61, Northeastern region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
2.27 |
25 |
2.57 |
|
Reported in 61, Southern region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
2.94 |
0 |
2.94 |
|
Reported in 60, Northern region, with 50 N + 25 P kg/ha |
0-25 |
0 |
3.49 |
25 |
3.73 |
Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production
Drought stresses and floods in large rice areas under rainfed conditions.
Lack of inputs and credits, with the possible exception of the central regions.
Blast and bacterial leaf blight.
Brown plant hoppers and stem borers.
Acid sulfate soil in rainfed and deepwater rice in the Central Plains.
Saline soil in rainfed lowland rice in northeastern region.
Acid-saline soil in southern coastal areas.
Following table shows the rice production costs.
|
Other information |
Yield (t/ha) |
Cost ($/ha) |
Cost ($/t) |
|
Suphan Buri, Irrigated, Wet season 1987 |
4.2 |
281 |
67 |
|
Suphan Buri, Irrigated, Dry season 1987 |
3.82 |
344 |
90 |
|
Khon Khen, Rainfed lowland, Wet season 1987 |
1.47 |
138 |
94 |
|
Suphan Buri, Rainfed lowland, Wet season 1987 |
2.3 |
163 |
71 |
|
Irrigated, 1987-89 |
3.78 |
305 |
81 |
|
Rainfed lowland, 1987-89 |
1.84 |
59 |
32 |
|
Rainfed lowland, Wet season 1992 |
1.92 |
195 |
101 |
|
Irrigated, Dry season 1993 |
4 |
518 |
129 |
Sustainable rice production in the country needs the development and deployment of high yielding varieties with high grain quality such as Khao Dawk Mali 105. It also needs the introduction of Rice Integrated Crop Management systems and the investment for building more irrigation infrastructures.
Research and Development Institutes
· Rice Research Institute, Department of Agriculture, Chatuchchak, P.O. Box 9-159, 10900 Bangkok 10900, Thailand
· Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Thailand Tel. 66-2-5790151-7 Fax 66-2-5615024
· Department of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Thailand Tel. 66-2-5790121-8 Fax 66-2-5793018
· National Research Council of Thailand Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Pahol Yothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand, Tel. 66-2-5792445 Fax 66-2-5793402
· National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) Building, 73/1 Rama IV Road, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Bangkok 10400 Thailand, Tel. 66-2-6448150-4 Fax 66-2-6448107
· Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Thailand Ltd. 97, Rajdamri Road 10500 Bangkok Phone: 251-8151 Telex: 21240
· Bangkok Seed Industry Co. Ltd. 26/4-5 Soi Yenchit, Chan Road 10120 Yannawa, Bangkok Phone: (211) 9463 Telex: 72120 ASIACON Fax: (212) 6266
· Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Regulatory Division, Seed Regulatory Section 10900 Chatuchak Bangkok
· Kasetsart University Faculty of Agriculture Kamphaeng Saen Campus 73140 Nakhon Pathom Phone: (034) 242349 Fax: (66-34) 351406
· Seed Division/Seed Association of Thailand, Department of Agricultural Extension 2143/1 Paholyothin Road, Khet Chatuchak 10900 Bangkhen Bangkok Phone: (2) 579-0121 Fax: (66-2) 561-4794
