By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & Cooperatives plans to reduce a total volume of PM 2.5 emission from the provinces’ agricultural sector by as much as 50% next year.
Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao confirmed over the weekend that farmers, particularly those in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son as well as in the western province of Tak, will be strongly encouraged to no longer burn the surfaces of their post-harvest farmlands to contain the hazardous emission of the airborne particulate matter and help with the targeted 50% reduction throughout next year.
Whilst farmers in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Tak will be advised by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives among other government personnel to help reduce the PM 2.5 emission by as much as 50%, those in a dozen other provinces will be suggested to follow suit and help make it drop by at least 10%, according to the agriculture minister.
Thammanat advised that the farmers immediately give up on the habitual torching of stumps and remnants left over in their farmlands after harvest to preserve the environment, contain the air pollution and prevent respiratory diseases which might probably otherwise be caused by the airborne particulate matter.
He suggested that the farmers in high terrains of the northern and upper central provinces turn to grow high-value crops other than rice and corn without needing to burn the surfaces of their farmlands after harvest.
The recommended high-terrain crops include macadamia, avocado, coffee and mango.
In addition to the post-harvest blazes lit by the farmers, wind-blown bushfires in Myanmar and Lao border areas have intermittently generated a large volume of PM 2.5 prevailing over the northern region of Thailand.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: A post-harvest farmland in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) burning last Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, with the smoke drifting to a nearby road. Photos: Thai Rath
Also read: Chiang Rai residents tweeting for help as PM2.5 skyrockets
#Savemaesai – PM2.5 soars over 700, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son also affected
Seacon Square unveils Thailand’s first solar air-conditioned bus stop
Huge forest fire in Nakhon Nayok spreads to fourth mountain
Over 1.3 million air-pollution cases so far this year
Wild elephants flee raging forest fires in Trat
