We think that this number should be far higher, agricultural prices have dropped by 50% and you’re telling us that the farm economy has only shrunk by 4.2%?

• The farm economy contracted 4.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2015 as drought hit crops, but the livestock and fishery sectors still expanded, the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) reported on Thursday.
• OAE secretary-general Lersak Riewtrakulpaibul said the farm sector had shrunk by 7.3% in the first half due to the decrease in production of second-crop rice in the Chao Phraya and Mae Khlong basins ahead of the drought. 
• Livestock production grew 2.1% in the period with increased production of chicken, pork, eggs and raw milk.
• Fisheries also expanded 2.2% in the first half of 2015 from the recovery of the shrimp industry after it was hit by the early mortality syndrome (EMS) disease.
• The farm service sector dropped by 6.6% in the period as demand for workers for field preparation and harvesting had fallen in line with the shrinking cultivation area.
• The forestry sector expanded 3.5% from increases in rubber and eucalyptus trees.
• Mr Lersak predicted the farm economy for 2015 would show a contraction of 3.3-4.3%. The office would closely monitor the impact of the drought on the sector, he said.

Source: Bangkok Post