BANGKOK, 12 July 2013 The registration of farmers growing 3 types of economic crops will come under strict surveillance to ensure that no intermediaries are involved in the price guaranteeing scheme.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will be encouraging farmers of rice, corn and cassava to register for the price pledging program. According to the Office of Agricultural Extension and Development, the scheme has been designed to tackle price decline and promote food security and efficient use of water resources.
However, Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Warathep Rattanakorn said the program will now be monitored closely to prevent farmers from being taken advantage of.
In last year’s implementation of the scheme, it was reported that middlemen bought the designated crops from local farmers at a cost lower than the pledging price for each crop in their attempt to make profits from the program.
Mr. Warathep expected that the number of farmers registered with the Ministry this year will be slightly the same as last year’s, at 7 million people approximately.
Referring to a comment made by Mr. Virabongse Ramangkura, Chairman of the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development, who claimed the continuation of the rice pledging scheme would affect the government’s financial discipline, Mr. Warathep said that once farmers’ incomes are stable, the scheme could be adjusted.
