Kraisorn Kongchalard wrote on Facebook on Sunday that he was contacted by a giant company, which wanted to sign up farmers to grow potatoes on the mountain.
Kraisorn, the deputy governor, strongly criticised the proposal, saying it would harm the environment as growing potatoes needed extensive use of chemicals and fertilisers. Doing that would contaminate the soil, air and the water there, he said.
The provincial official also felt that contract farming never gave fair treatment to farmers.
He urged the public to help consider the issue, and take social sanctions against the proposal, including a ban on consumption of potatoes from any such moves.
The deputy governor’s post drew heavy support on social media yesterday, including from the chair of Phetchabun’s cultural council, who backed him, saying he was such a courageous man with a brave and beautiful heart.
His post was shared extensively among organic farmers.
Kraisorn said yesterday he had learned a painful lesson about excessive use of chemicals and fertiliser in Tak province, where the same giant company reportedly hired farmers to grow potatoes; the potatoes were of poor quality and that left the farmers in trouble, he said.
Phu Thap Boek had also suffered chemical contamination from farmers growing cabbage. Provincial officials had tried to convince farmers to swap to organic farming, which is seen as much more environmentally friendly.
The effort appears to have been hampered by the new proposal, the deputy governor added.
“It’s hard to prevent farmers from engaging in this kind of proposal. So I just wanted to raise public awareness among consumers to keep up with these kind of companies and their action far away [from the capital], and help put pressure on them so that they become more socially responsible,” Kraisorn said.