BANGKOK, 16 October 2014 The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives remarked that the issue of rice quality must be solved at the production level, especially by introducing modern practices including producing organic rice.
Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya said the public must realize that the low price of rice is due to its below-standard quality and that a sustainable solution to the price conundrum would be to raise quality, not quantity.
He cited an innovation overhaul at all levels of production as the most important solution by utilizing modern practices of crop research, cultivation and harvesting to best ensure optimal rice moisture and soil compatibility. He also stressed the importance of producing organic rice for the health market.
Mr. Petipong also recognized the contribution the private sector has in increasing the quality of rice and easing the government’s financial burden. Therefore, he said, the government would implement tax incentives to attract future business partnerships
