Thailand Cane and Sugar Board eyes reducing burned sugarcane problem to tackle PM2.5 pollution
Thailand’s Cane and Sugar Board is tackling PM2.5 pollution from crop burning by proposing a 7-billion-baht subsidy for farmers to harvest and sell 100% of sugarcane, eliminating burning. Biomass plants will process the inedible parts. Penalties for selling burnt sugarcane may rise from 30 to 130 baht/tonne. So far, 81.28% of sugarcane purchased this season is non-burnt.
Measures to discourage sugarcane farmers from burning crop leftovers – a major contributor to PM2.5 air pollution – have been approved, the Cane and Sugar Board said on Friday.
PM2.5 refers to dust particles measuring 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, long-term exposure to which is linked with chronic diseases, including lung and heart problems.
Major sources of PM2.5 include traffic emissions, factories, forest fires, and burning of harvest leftovers.
The board said one of these measures is proposing that the Industry Ministry provide a budget of 7 billion baht as subsidy for farmers to cut and sell 100% of their sugarcane harvest, eliminating the need to burn harvest stumps and leaves before the next cultivation.
As part of this measure, the leaves and inedible parts of sugarcane will be sold to biomass power plants for use as fuel.
It is estimated that this measure will help increase revenue of sugarcane farmers by around 120 baht per tonne.
Another measure is to increase the price deduction penalty for farmers selling burnt sugarcane to sugar mills, from the current 30 baht per tonne to 130 baht per tonne, the board added.
As of January 16, which is the 42nd day that sugar mills nationwide have been purchasing sugarcane for the current crop year, a total of 33.71 billion tonnes of sugarcane have been purchased.
Of these, 27.4 billion tonnes – 81.28% – are from non-burning plantations, while 6.3 billion tonnes – 18.72% – are charred sugarcane.
The top 10 sugar mills that purchased the highest ratio of charred sugarcane were:
- Suphanburi Sugar Industry, purchased 51% charred sugarcane
- TN Sugar Mill, 47%
- Thai Udon Thani Sugar Mill, 43%
- Khon Kaen Sugar Mill, 36%
- Sing Buri Sugar Mill, 34%
- Rayong (Chaiyaphum) Sugar Mill, 33%
- Saha Ruang Sugar Factory, 31%
- Mitr Kalasin Sugar Mill, 30%
- Thai Roong Ruang Sugar Corporation, 29%
- Esaan Sugar Industry, 29%
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Source : The Nation Thailand
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