From rice farmers to cowboys
Around 6,000 rice farmers in three districts in Sa Kaeo have joined the government's Koban Burapha (Eastern Cowboys) cattle-raising initiative
Around 6,000 rice farmers in three districts in Sa Kaeo have joined the government's Koban Burapha (Eastern Cowboys) cattle-raising initiative
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Government wants cowboy farmers
Apinya Wipatayotin
The Livestock Department yesterday assured farmers that the government's Koban Burapha (Eastern Cowboys) cattle-raising scheme will greatly benefit around 6,000 rice farmers in three districts in Sa Kaeo who have registered to join the initiative.
Livestock department chief Apai Sutthisunk said the scheme will be launched immediately after the department completes its electronic bidding process to buy about 30,000 domestic cows from at least 10 companies that have expressed an interest in taking part in the project.
Mr Apai said the electronic bidding process is expected to take place in August.
Mr Apai yesterday held a press conference to assure rice farmers in Khok Sung, Watthana Nakhon and Aranyaprathet districts of the cattle-raising scheme's benefits after the cabinet last week approved a budget of 971 million baht for the project that extends to 2022.
The six-year plan is designed to turn Sa Kaeo rice farmers into livestock ranchers. This would transform thousands of rais of rice fields into a massive livestock hub, rearing beef cattle, in particular, for export to Asean countries.
Calves are fed at the PC ranch.
Mr Apai said once the department finishes the electronic bidding process, it will allocate the cows to registered rice farmers in three districts before a contract between the department and rice farmers is signed.
He said department officials found there are around 10 companies interested in joining the department's e-bidding procedure, with mid-range prices of 30,000 baht per cow.
According to a departmental survey, there are around 690,000 breeding cows nationwide aged 18 months to three years old, as stipulated by the bidding criteria.
About 5-10%, or about 30,000-60,000 cows are forecast to be sold in markets, indicating that interested companies will be capable of finding cattle to support the department's bidding.
"The project will not fail like previous projects. First, all breeding cows to be sold to the department are domestic, so there will not be any problems with breeding," he said.
"Furthermore, we will have artificial breeding that will ensure high production. Secondly, we will run the scheme in the form of cooperatives, which will make the project more sustainable," Mr Apai said.
He said the government gave the green light to the department's scheme to transform rice plantations into grazing ground for livestock as the eastern province of Sa Kaeo is not suitable for rice cultivation due to water shortages.
He said the province is capable of raising livestock, especially for meat which is in high demand across Asean.
According to the department, the number of cows that have been reared for the meat industry across the country has decreased to 4.8 from 8 million over the past decade.
The project is believed to be able to subsidise the 200,000 cows that are needed every year, he said.
Mr Apai said under the scheme each registered farmer will be given five breeding cows under the condition that he or she returns the first five bred cows to the cooperative so that the cows can be passed on to other farmers who want to take part in the scheme.
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