Problems faced by farmers in Pailin

17 May 2013
By Mu Sochua

These are problems faced by farmers in Pailin

1. Wife of Pailin governor is the main buyer of agriculture produces in this area. Due to limited number of buyers, prices are controlled and manipulated by a few powerful individuals.

2. Governor puts limit on the transportation of cassava to 5 tons per truck resulting in increase in transportation costs. (For example, if the tonnage limit is 25 tons per truck and under a normal condition, a farmer can put 25 tons of cassava in a truck, but now the farmer has to use five trucks to transport the same amount of produces).

3. Price competition from Vietnam. On the Thai side of the border, we saw chili peppers and limes grown in Vietnam being sold in Thailand. Vietnam can produce and transport their agriculture produces cheaper than Khmer farmers in Pailin. (This is possible because a. economy of scale, b. better technical knowledge and practices, c. cheaper energy used for irrigation, d. no corruption).