BANGKOK, 19 July 2013 Deputy Minister of Commerce Yanyong Puangrach has admitted that the news about rotten and contaminated rice has affected Thai rice exports. The country’s trade partners have demanded more quality assurance letters.
Mr Yanyong said Prime Minister Yingluck shinawatra had asked him to urgently tackle the problem of rice quality, especially in terms of humidity and contamination, since the problem severely affected consumer confidence. A center had been set up to prevent spoiled packaged rice, the deputy minister said.
The alleged substandard Thai rice had slightly damaged the country’s rice exports, Mr Yanyong said.
The ministry is now figuring out suitable pledged prices with farmers for the rice pledging scheme for the year 2013/2014’s crop. The farmers have reportedly showed more flexible stance on the matter. Sources from the government said the government will find measures to reduce production costs of and further assist rice farmers by August this year.
