REPORTING ADDRESS

Abstract

In 1950, Thailand planted 36,000 hectares of corn. The total yield was 26,000 tons averaging 0.8 ton per hectare. Twenty-four years later, corn was planted on 1,240,000 hectares with a total yield of 2,500,000 tons, averaging 2.2 tons per hectare. Almost 90% of the production was exported, earning 6,000 million baht or approximately 300 million U.S. dollars. The value is surpassed only by rice. Encouraging as these figures may at first appear, they mask the static, if not declining. Trend in recent years of the average yield per hectare. Most significantly, the poor showing has occurred even after release of superior varieties to the farmers. The tree most important factors responsible for this catastrophe are long periods of drought, locust damage, and downy mildew (DM) disease.