The six-year plan is designed to turn 6,377 Sa Kaew rice farmers into livestock ranchers. It would transform 103,823 rai of rice fields into a massive livestock hub, raising beef cattle in particular for export to Cambodia and Vietnam, Chatchai said.

The scheme, extending to 2022, earmarks Bt900 million for raising beef cattle. Farmers will be encouraged to raise 120,000 cows from a “bank” of 30,000 breeding animals.

Another Bt13.2 million will be set aside for raising 27,200 goats from a bank of 3,200 nannies.

Bt80.6 million is allocated for cultivating grasses and other feed crops on 40,300 rai.

A Bt34.6-million slaughterhouse that meets Good Manufacturing Practice standards will be constructed.

Other funding will support Koban Burapha cooperatives.

Chatchai said the Livestock Development Department is now finalising details for the scheme.

He said it already has a list of participating farmers, including 6,106 who were struggling with drought conditions and 271 whose croplands had been reclaimed as part of agricultural reforms.

The number of beef cattle in Thailand has dropped from eight million to 4.8 million in the past decade due to high demand for the meat.

Chatchai said the ministry selected Sa Kaew for this project because it has 2.34 million rai of farmland, 10.4 per cent of which is irrigated, and crop production is relatively low, especially in drought-prone Aranyaprathet, Khok Sung and Wattana Nakhon.

The province’s closer proximity to Vietnam and Cambodia also gives it greater potential for exporting beef cattle, he said.