Kem Sokha, right, and Sam Rainsy at a press conference Wednesday. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)Thursday, 19 February 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post
Claims low prices are driving farmers to the brink of survival
THE country's two main opposition parties called Wednesday for immediate government action to help indebted farmers struggling with plummeting produce prices. More than 80 percent of Cambodians rely on farming for their livelihood.
In a joint press conference, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and the Human Rights Party (HRP) said the government must act to ensure banks do not confiscate land pledged by farmers as collateral for loans.
They also demanded the government introduce mechanisms to stabilise the prices paid to farmers for their crops.
SRP President Sam Rainsy said that other countries facing this type of situation would undertake similar actions to protect farmers' lands.
"First the debts must be suspended and interest on their loans must also be reduced while we wait on the situation to resolve itself," the two parties stated in a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen.
In the letter, made public at the press conference, they said crop prices had declined between 30 percent to 80 percent for crops such as paddy rice, corn, beans and cassava, plunging farmers into crisis.
Calls for relief
HRP President Khem Sokha said the parties - which have a combined 29 seats in the 123-seat National Assembly - could not keep silent.
Kem Sokha added that farmers in his constituency were borrowing sums of up two million riels at three percent interest and were worried about the coming months.
"We cannot sit and wait while people are suffering - we must act," he said.
"Even though we are the opposition and have no power to decide or to force the banks to act, we do have the right to call on the government to take action."
A recent IMF report noted that inflation in late 2007 through to mid-2008 saw food prices rise sharply - as high as 45 percent year on year in May 2008.
The cost of farming inputs such as fertiliser and diesel also rose, hitting farmers hard.
With thousands of farmers having borrowed to pay for the increased cost of inputs, their land was now at risk since falling produce prices could leave many unable to service loans.
But Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap dismissed the call as an opposition stunt to attract votes ahead of the upcoming council elections. He said the government had already taken steps to alleviate problems for farmers.
"[Prime Minister Hun Sen] has ordered the National Bank of Cambodia to tell banks to provide money to farmers and workers at low interest, and not to confiscate their land," he said.
"We have also ordered the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture to increase market prices for farmers."
THE country's two main opposition parties called Wednesday for immediate government action to help indebted farmers struggling with plummeting produce prices. More than 80 percent of Cambodians rely on farming for their livelihood.
In a joint press conference, the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and the Human Rights Party (HRP) said the government must act to ensure banks do not confiscate land pledged by farmers as collateral for loans.
They also demanded the government introduce mechanisms to stabilise the prices paid to farmers for their crops.
SRP President Sam Rainsy said that other countries facing this type of situation would undertake similar actions to protect farmers' lands.
"First the debts must be suspended and interest on their loans must also be reduced while we wait on the situation to resolve itself," the two parties stated in a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen.
In the letter, made public at the press conference, they said crop prices had declined between 30 percent to 80 percent for crops such as paddy rice, corn, beans and cassava, plunging farmers into crisis.
Calls for relief
HRP President Khem Sokha said the parties - which have a combined 29 seats in the 123-seat National Assembly - could not keep silent.
Kem Sokha added that farmers in his constituency were borrowing sums of up two million riels at three percent interest and were worried about the coming months.
"We cannot sit and wait while people are suffering - we must act," he said.
"Even though we are the opposition and have no power to decide or to force the banks to act, we do have the right to call on the government to take action."
A recent IMF report noted that inflation in late 2007 through to mid-2008 saw food prices rise sharply - as high as 45 percent year on year in May 2008.
The cost of farming inputs such as fertiliser and diesel also rose, hitting farmers hard.
With thousands of farmers having borrowed to pay for the increased cost of inputs, their land was now at risk since falling produce prices could leave many unable to service loans.
But Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap dismissed the call as an opposition stunt to attract votes ahead of the upcoming council elections. He said the government had already taken steps to alleviate problems for farmers.
"[Prime Minister Hun Sen] has ordered the National Bank of Cambodia to tell banks to provide money to farmers and workers at low interest, and not to confiscate their land," he said.
"We have also ordered the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture to increase market prices for farmers."
12 comments:
As part of the $42 billion stimulus package, the Australian government is handing out $950 each to about 10 million people next month. You can earn up to $85,000 a year and still get the bonus.
As someone on welfare in a roach-infested public housing, I am not going to complain.
I agree with SRP and HRP for this regards 100%. I don't want to compare Cambodia to western countries because in waestern countries all farmers are all rich people with good lifestyle and good income. Only one idiot in this forum who has always teased our potatoes diggers who can earned more moneys than any minister of Phnom Penh government. I just want to say that at present all caring government such as China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have paid subsidize to their farmers to cut down the income gap of urban citizen and rural citizen and also to make sure that their foods supplied are in good security. If the government ignore the wellfare of the farmers, the farmers may leave their traditional supply of foods, then the country will be in danger. Therefore, I agree with SRP and HRP for this kind of assistance to farmers as a most important step toward securing foods supply to the country. If you don't look after the farmers, there will short supply. THe neighbour can supply to Cambodia with poison foods. Areak Prey
Only $950, 4:21? what happen to the rest of the money? When you do the math, each people should get about $4,200. Accordingly, someone is pocketing $32.5 billion, I would say.
What happened to the DMC. Are they broken up already. Why is the two idiots calling for action from separate parties.
4.41 PM, the rest goes to businesses, first homebuyers, farmers, and many other sectors.
During last Xmas, most families who had kids were given $1000 each as a present, too.
I am sure they got the $1000 for Xmas, but I bet the officials got a lot more.
don't bet, the official get nothing. part of the money go to upgrade schools around the country, some will go to farmers to produce tomatoes and potatoes for us to pick to create more job.
Vannak
Hello there,
I think Mr. Areak Prey (4:35 PM) is totally right! Good job man!
i think this is one of the good cause that this party is doing, and should be this way all the time, not causing problem. good to look after the people by making demand for real action, not just ciriticizing, but real demand by using their parliament power and influent to make changes is always good for cambodia. it's good that they, too, wake up for their long sleep!
Stop embarrassing yourself here, 9:18. We can smell corruption from miles aways. Where did you think we learn all the good stuffs from?
A Chhke SR is the same as A Chhke Kem Sokha.
They were HunSen's dogs eating Hun Sen shit.......and betray khmers since 1998.
8:57 should reverse his/her word toward own self. Hello??????
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