BANGKOK, 24 July 2011 – Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Yanyong Phuangrach, has investigated prices of packaged rice in Suphanburi province at Tanghua center. He indicates that rice price is still at its normal state, the 5 kg pack rice cost 89 THB while jasmine rice price is at 300-480 THB depending on the types of rice.
The Permanent Secretary asserted that there would be no rice shortages in the country since at present, the private stock had reached over 3,200,000 tonnes and the government rice stock 1,200,000 tonnes. Moreover, when combined together with the new rice to be harvested in August, the rice stock will increase to over 5 million tonnes. So, it depends on the government’s system in regulating the rice stock to prevent rice shortages.
As for the issue that packed rice producer has only 1 month of rice in stock remained and have to purchase more at higher prices, Mr.Yanyong believes that the two parties can negotiate prices without affecting the packed rice’s price since the the 5 kg packed rice price at 80-90 THB is sufficient for the seller to make profit from the sold rice.
