BANGKOK, 10 July 2013 – Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan is preparing to hold a meeting with farmer representatives and other related agencies to set prices for the next harvesting season of the Rice Pledging Scheme.
The Thai Rice Growers Association, the Thai Farmers Association and the Thai Agriculturists Association will all send representatives to the meeting which aims at exchanging information to be compiled for use in the setting of rice prices under the next rice pledging scheme. The move follows the difference in figures used in the calculation of capital cost provided by the Office of Agricultural Economics and the Rice Department.
President of the Thai Agriculturists Association Vichien Puanglamjiak earlier made an announcement that farmers would not accept the Government’s decision to reduce the pledging price for rice with 15% water content to 12,000 baht per ton, as they could not make any profit with that price. He also referred to the price of rice with 30% water content which is now priced at 8,000 – 9,000 baht per ton. Mr. Vichien suggested the government use both the actual capital cost and profit to calculate the price for the next season.
Meanwhile, Head of the Thai Rice Growers Association Prasit Booncheoi also echoed Mr. Vichien’s comment, imploring the Government come up with concrete assistance measures, as production cost has recently increased.
