Chiang Rai News
Chiang Rai Province Asks Truck Associations to Reduce their Harvesting Fees
A local rice seller in Chiang Rai revealed that declining prices for rice paddy has resulted in retailers marking down their prices for milled rice.
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CHIANG RAI – Provincial Authorities have asked harvest truck associations to reduce their harvesting fees in addition to monitoring the price of fertilizer and pesticides.
Governor of Ratchaburi Province, Nitwat Rungsakorn held a meeting to discuss a reduction in harvesting fees. The province’s harvesting associations claim that higher premiums are due to higher operating costs and soil conditions that make tractors susceptible to damage. Mr Niwat said he will consult with farmers on a new round of negotiations and will monitor the price of fertilizer and pesticides.
Meanwhile, farmers in Lam Chee Subdistrict of Kalasin Province have reported a shortage of barns and grain drying facilities and therefore have had to rent facilities from the private sector. Deputy Kalasin Governor Thierachai Atchariaphan has met with farmers to explain global market conditions and has urged farmers not to rely on middlemen.
The loan extension is part of the government’s effort to help farmers who are currently facing falling rice prices to hold off selling their crops, in order to bolster prices.
Under the loan extension scheme, BAAC general manager Luck Wajananawat said the bank has set aside 46.78 billion budget as soft loans to extend to farmers.
Breakdown of the loan will be 27.41 billion baht for farmers with white rice paddy harvest, and 19.37 billion baht for those with Hom Mali harvest.
He said farmers registering for the loan scheme will obtain 9,500 baht soft loans with no interest to delay sale of their paddy for a maximum of five months.
Additional 1,500 baht will be given for storing rice in their barns, plus 2,000 for harvesting and quality-improvement costs, he said.
Farmers will receive the cash assistance through their accounts in the BAAC bank, he added.
Source: Thai PBS | NNT