The overproduction of sea salt due to drought has led to a big price fall. Photo: SEKSAN ROJANAMETHAKUL
The price of salt this year bottomed at 450 baht per cart while to stay afloat, farmers need at least 1,500 baht per cart. Usually, drought means low production for other agricultural products. Not for the sea salt farming. Two consecutive years of scorching drought have led to the overproduction of sea salt – known as klua sin thao – and brought down the price.
What makes him angry, Uncle Wai says, is that the government during the last few decades has not acknowledged the importance of salt farming, unlike in the past. In fact, over 70 rai of land he owns is a part of a larger plot donated to farmers by King Rama VIII. Governments now tend to champion salt-mining projects in the Northeast, despite objections from rice farmers in that region, while conservationists have raised concerns over pollution and the spread of salinity.