PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, 27 May 2012 – The government has approved a special budget to help pineapple farmers, who have been suffering the problem of falling prices.
Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Weera Sriwathanatrakoon said on Saturday that Prachuap Khiri Khan’s pineapple, which is its major crop, has been battling the problem of plunging prices for some time.
As the problem has not shown any sign of easing, the government has approved a special budget to buy up more than 60,000 tons of pineapples at the price of 4 baht a kilo.
Mr. Weera is confident that the government’s assistance will effectively solve farmers’ plight.
According to the Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor, related state agencies are speedily working on the budget allocation while the supply purchase will likely start next week.
He added that all pineapples that the government has bought up will be sent to the processing plants, which will transform the supply into canned pineapple for sales whenever prices go up again.
Mr. Weera has stressed that crop supplies eligible for the state incentives are to be of the same quality farmers have sold to factories as young pineapples will not be of any use.
