The Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB) is aiming to slash burnt sugarcane harvesting to 10% this season, improving air quality and cutting PM2.5 emissions across Thailand.
OCSB Secretary-General Bainoi Suwanchatree said on Monday that sugar mills have been asked to buy less than 10% of their sugarcane from burnt fields.
Bainoi explained that burning sugarcane fields before harvest releases fine particles into the air, which can harm people’s health. Reducing this practice will help improve air quality in central, eastern, and northeastern provinces, including Bangkok.
By January 11, sugar mills reported that 19.57% of their purchases came from burnt fields. Out of 58 mills nationwide, 22 have already kept their burnt cane purchases below 10%, while 32 mills reported figures between 10% and 25%. However, four mills in Udon Thani and nearby areas exceeded 25%.
The OCSB has cautioned the management of these four mills to adhere to the guidelines and lower their purchases from burnt fields to below 10%. Officials say this is important to achieve the nationwide goal of reducing air pollution and promoting cleaner farming methods.
