The rainy season in Cambodia this year will be exactly that, according to the government’s first forecast of the upcoming season. Issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology on Wednesday, the statement foresees no drought, an encouraging sign for farmers that 2011 will be a fruitful year.
“In this rainy season for 2011, the rain will spread well…nationwide and more quantity than in 2010,” said the statement signed by Minister Lim Kean Hor.
It did not elaborate on what methodology the ministry used to make its weather forecasts.
The statement projects that the rainy season will start in the second week of May and last until early November.
In coastal provinces and the lowland northwest, the rainy season will start in the first week of May.
“Based on the announcement above, let it be known to the public, especially farmers, to take good measure in preparing for cultivation of rice in the shortcoming rainy season,” the statement said.
Oum Ryna, deputy director of the meteorology department at the Ministry of Water Resource and Meteorology could not be reached for comment.
Hean Vanhorn, deputy director general at the Agriculture Ministry’s general department of agriculture, welcomed the prediction, believing that it would be a boon to the agriculture sector.
“It shows good potential for the sector and the farmers can plant rice twice” this year, he said, adding that it was important for farmers to listen to ministry predictions.
Saing Chanthy, a rice farmer in Takeo province’s Samraong district, said he’s never heard of such weather predictions but was glad to hear the encouraging news.
“If this statement is correct, it will make our rice yield increase,” he said, adding that because of the dry weather that lasted until the middle of the rainy season last year, his total rice yield declined more than 30 percent.
“I think that if we knew the rain situation, it is easy for us to select the kind of rice seed, and we will have to measure to protect the water in our rice fields, if there is little rain,” he said.
