Farmers harvest rice in Thailand’s northern Nan province. PHOTO: Paritta Wangkiat

mekong eye – By Phafan Nokaeo, Tran Nguyen and Sao Phal Niseiy

26 September 2022 at 8:25

Rising fertilizer costs decimate poor Mekong farmers’ livelihoods despite their vital role in feeding millions.

BANGKOK, THAILAND ― Skyrocketing prices for fertilizers and agricultural production has pushed farmers in the Mekong region into severe debt and poverty.

Many have been forced to abandon their farms or have been unable to pay their debts and have lost their land, despite their roles in ensuring food security for millions of people.   

“This is the worst year for farmers. Everything is more expensive, except rice prices, and they keep dropping,” said Prasert Tangthong, 58, a farmer with a small holding in Sing Buri province in central Thailand.

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