A farmer in this northeastern province who rejects inorganic fertilisers and uses only compost has won the national jasmine rice competition.

Banthao Ketjum, a farmer from Krabuang village in Surin’s Chumpol Buri district, has won the best jasmine rice award in the best seed category of the competition,

which was held in Surin this year, according to senior agriculture official Wannasak Siripul.

Wannasak, chief of the agricultural extension unit of Surin Agriculture Office, said the competition involved farmers from the five jasmine rice-growing provinces – Roi Et, Si Sa Ket, Mahasarakham, Surin and Yasothon.

The five provinces take turns to stage the contest and this year Surin played host as it is organising the Jasmine Rice festival between December 11 to 13 at the Rajamangala Institute of Technology’s, Surin campus.

Wannasak said Banthao’s success would be helpful to his agriculture office in its ongoing campaign to persuade farmers to use compost as much as possible.

So far, he said, only 10 per cent of about 100,000 rice farmers in the province have switched to using the natural fertiliser.

Banthao said he never used any chemicals on his rice fields. He said he used only compost and other organic fertilisers.

He believes that refraining from using chemicals and pesticides enables his jasmine rice to develop a natural immunity against pests.

He said his seeds yield between 500kg and 600kg of rice per rai.

“I am very happy to win the award and would like to encourage other farmers to use organic fertilisers as I do,” Banthao said.

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By The Nation On 3 Nov 2004

On 7 Nov 2004

  
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