(AFP/null)
Bottom: Second deputy President of the Cambodia'a National Assembly acting as the Ploughing Festival king Say Chhum (C) uses the royal oxen to plow the land during the annual Ploughing Festival in Phnom Penh May 21, 2011. Cambodia host the annual ploughing festival during which royal oxen will have to choose between seven bowls including rice, corn, green beans, grass, sesame, water and wine to predict the future of the farming season. The tradition, which is hundreds of years old, is followed closely by people in Cambodia, the majority of whom are farmers. REUTERS/Samrang Pring.
PHNOM PENH, May 21 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodia's royal astrologer predicted Saturday that the country's farmers will enjoy good corn and bean crops this year, but the health of farm animals might be threatened. At an annual ceremony marking the start of the rainy season, astrologer Korng Keng told a crowd of tens of thousands of people that "animals that are used for agricultural activities will face some kinds of diseases." At the ceremony, seven golden trays -- holding rice, corn, beans, sesame, grass, water and rice wine -- are laid out for a pair of royal oxen. Predictions for the coming season are made based on which trays the oxen choose. This year, the oxen ate most of the corn, some beans and grass, indicating Cambodian farmers will have good corn and bean crops in 2011. According to the royal astrologer, by eating the grass, it means disease may occur in animals or insects might attack crops. The ceremony is held annually near the royal palace in Phnom Penh at the start of the planting season. This year, the oxen ate no rice and sesame and drank no water or rice wine. If they drink the rice wine it means turmoil, fighting or robbery. Drinking water indicates lots of water for cropping, while eating sesame indicates a big harvest. Last year, the oxen ate mostly corn and beans. according to khmerization
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