By Vijian Paramasivam
PHNOM PENH, May 15 (Bernama) -- Farmers throughout Southeast Asia continue to honour a centuries-old ploughing ceremony that ushers in rainfall and a new rice planting season.
Many agrarian nations such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam mark the ploughing ceremony in a festivity that usually takes place in May.
In Cambodia, the date is May 15. Traditionally known as Pithi Chrat Pheah Neang Korl, this royal ceremony is celebrated as a national public holiday.
Cambodian Farmer Federation Association of Agricultural Producers (CFAP) CEO Sok Sotha said that farmers and rural communities have respected traditional beliefs for generations, including the Royal Ploughing Ceremony.
“There is still a close relationship amongst the people, traditional beliefs and nature,” Sotha told Bernama.
He said the day honours the contributions of the farming community to the economy.
“The Royal Ploughing Ceremony remains a symbol of the relationship among the Royal Palace, the Royal Government of Cambodia, farmers and the farming communities and people in general,”he said.
Age Old Tradition
As tradition goes, at the celebration venue, the royal oxen decorated with colourful ornaments will be set free to eat plates of rice, grass, sesame, corn, and peas, and to drink water and wine.
Using the consumption patterns of animals, clergymen predict rainfall, pest issues, and agricultural yields for the season.
“Farmers believe in forecasting results, and they observe the weather conditions as well. Now they are ready for the rainy season to come to start planting crops,” said Sotha.
This year’s Royal Ploughing ceremony was held at the Royal Field at Kampong Chhnang Stadium, Kampong Chhnang province. Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the ceremony.
During this morning's ceremony, the royal oxen consumed 95 per cent of the rice, 95 per cent of the corn, and 80 per cent of the beans. The clergyman predicted that the upcoming harvest of rice, corn, and beans would be plentiful this season based on the oxen's consumption, reported Fresh News.
Of Cultural and Economic Significance
Rice as a symbol of life and fertility is deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural practices of many Asian societies. It is revered and celebrated during planting and harvesting.
Additionally, rice is a key commercial export for many nations, generating jobs and revenue, and feeding millions in Southeast Asian economies.
In Thailand, where agriculture is the pillar of the economy, the auspicious Royal Ploughing Ceremony called “Raek Na Khwan” was held on May 9.
The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve’s General Manager Dr Choomjet Karnjanakesorn told Bernama that the ceremony embeds a strong cultural element in Thai society.
“Thai farmers want to have the rice seeds from the ceremony to grow in their rice fields (few grains). The farmers believe that rice grain from the ceremony could provide a good yield for cultivation throughout the season,” said Choomjet.
The planting season and the timing of the rainfall are crucial for millions of farmers in mainland Southeast Asia, a major rice-producing region for the world market.
Thailand and Vietnam are top rice-exporting nations with nearly eight million metric tonnes annually, while Cambodian long-grain fragrant rice is much sought-after in the international market.
-- BERNAMA
