BANGKOK, 27 Dec 213, – The Commerce Ministry has put a break on its plan to make Government-to-Government (G-to-G) rice deals as the Election Commission (EC) has yet to give it a nod on the matter.
According to Mr. Surasak Riangkrue, the Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), the Commerce Ministry will have to put on the back burner its plan to sell rice in its stockpile through G-to-G deals given it has to wait for the EC’s official decision whether to allow it to proceed with the plan.
He has, however, reassured rice farmers that the DFT will keep negotiating with foreign countries, asking them to buy more rice. His department has in the past sold over 140 billion baht worth of rice and the amount has already been returned to the Finance Ministry. He also expects the department to return another 140 billion baht to the Commerce Ministry next year.
