BANGKOK, 10 October 2013 Farmers who were unable to pledge their rice on time during the 2012/2013 rice pledging year will be able to do so in the second round of pledging.
According to Deputy Minister of Commerce Yanyong Puangrat, the National Rice Policy Committee has resolved to allow farmers who were unable to pledge their paddy in the previous round of the scheme to register with authorities for the 2012/13 season.
Under the scheme, the government will continue to pay the same price for rice harvested before September 15, 2013, which is expected to be around 450,000 tones, costing the government 6 billion baht.
As for rice harvested between September 16-30, the so-called second crop, the government will pay farmers 2,500 baht a ton in compensation ,with a limit of 30 tons per household. It is expected to cost the government 3 billion baht.
