Thai rice exporters have spoken out against the government's decision to increase the guaranteed price for Pathum Thani fragrant rice by Bt1,000 a tonne next year, as it will send the wrong signal to farmers to grow more of the strain at the expense of highvalue Hom Mali rice
Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, yesterday expressed concern that farmers would grow more Pathum Thani rice than Hom Mali due to higher returns under the guarantee scheme.
"Thai Hom Mali has faced problems over export quality as some importers have comฌbined Hom Mali, which is the highest premium grade of fragrant rice, with Pathum Thani rice, which is of lower quality.
Farmers may shift to growing more Pathum Thani as they can get higher yields and better returns," said Chookiat.
The National Rice Policy Committee on Monday agreed to continue its incomeguarantee scheme for next year's crop by increasing the guarantee price from Bt10,000 a tonne to Bt11,000 for Pathum Thani rice.
The committee also agreed to increase the maximum volume of Pathum Thani rice for farmers participating in the guarantee project next year from 25 tonnes to 30 tonnes.
Other rice prices remain unchanged from this year's guarantee project: Bt10,000 a tonne for white rice, Bt9,500 for sticky rice and Bt14,300 for provincial fragrant rice.
Yanyong Phuangrach, permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry, said the committee on Monday had also ordered the Foreign Trade Department to consider trading opportunities for rice in the governฌment's stockpiles through governmentto government contracts, the Agriculture Futures Exchange of Thailand and general bidding.
Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu has also ordered the ministry to stimulate exports next year by giving incentives to exporters, he said.
The ministry yesterday reported the govฌernment's reference prices for rice for December 1631: Bt10,212 a tonne for 5percent white rice, Bt12,072 for Pathum Thani rice, Bt11,533 for sticky rice, Bt14,895 a tonne for jasmine rice. The guarantee price for Hom Mali rice is quoted at Bt15,300 a tonne.
Source: The Nation
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