The chief of the Department of Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce insisted paddy rice prices did not plunge and the prices of bagged rice did not increase.
Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the department, denied the reports that the prices of paddy rice were the lowest in a decade and the prices of bagged rice rose.
The Department of Internal Trade monitored the prices of paddy rice closely every day, he said. On June 27, the prices of Hom Mali fragrant paddy rice were at 14,500-15,600 baht per ton, up from 10,862 baht per ton a year earlier.
The prices of Pathum Thani paddy rice were at 11,000-11,700 baht per ton, higher than 10,149 baht per ton in the corresponding period of last year. The prices of general paddy rice were at 9,000-9,500 baht per ton, up from 8,569 baht per ton a year earlier.
The prices were for paddy rice with moisture content of no more than 15%.
Regarding the reports that the prices of bagged rice would go up by 30 baht per kilogram in early July, Mr Wattanasak said he met representatives of the Thai Rice Packers Association and large-scale operators and they insisted that they would not raise their prices.
They would only adjust their promotions. Many bagged rice retailers would maintain promotional campaigns and some of them planned to cut their prices by 3-5% next month, the director general said. (TNA)
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