Cambodia takes solace from plough ceremony amid worst drought in 50 years

Record ID: 102120

  • Title: Cambodia takes solace from plough ceremony amid worst drought in 50 years
  • Date: 24th May 2016
  • Summary: SIEM REAP PROVINCE, CAMBODIA (MAY 24, 2016) (REUTERS) CAR CARRYING CAMBODIA'S KING NORODOM SIHAMONI ARRIVE AT THE PLOUGHING CEREMONY STAGE
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2016 07:52
  • Keywords: Cambodia ploughing ceremony farming drought King governor
  • Location: SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
  • City: SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
  • Country: Cambodia
  • Topics: Race Relations / Ethnic Issues,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014J61XZ9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: As the worst drought in half a century delays rice planting in Cambodia, a pair of oxen on Tuesday (May 24) delved into rice, corn and bean bowls at an annual ploughing ceremony in an omen for good harvests for those crops in the year ahead.
    Watched by Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, and a crowd of thousands in the ceremonial furrow in Siem Reap province, the two cows ate 90 percent of three out of seven foods on offer in ornate bowls.
    The annual tradition sees two sacred oxen tied to a wooden log as they plough through the ceremonial grounds. After the ploughing, the animals are offered sesame, rice, corn, beans, grass, wine and water.
    Each year, based on the oxen's choice of crops and the amount the animals eat, the Royal Palace astrologers forecast coming harvests and pray for regular rainfall.
    This year, the oxen ate just three of the grains.
    People watching the ceremony expressed their faith in the royal tradition.
    "I really believe on what the royal oxen was eating and this year we will get good harvest for rice, corn and been," said El Phon.
    But rains so far this month have been insufficient for farmers to start planting rice, said Keo Vy, a spokesman for the National Center for Disaster Management (NCDM).
    Annual rains have come late to Cambodia, exacerbating the drought and forcing farmers to wait before planting this year's crop of rice.
    Exports of Asia's staple are expected to fall well short of the 530,000 tonnes shipped in 2015, further exacerbating a tightening rice market as drought has also hit top rice exporters India and Thailand.
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