Rice millers urge banks to grant loan

BANGKOK, Feb 13 (TNA) -- Rice millers do not have enough money to neither buy rice from farmers nor participate in government rice auction and have claimed that recent lending by the state-owned Krung Thai Bank would benefit rice exporters, said Kriengsak Tapananon, president of Thai Rice Mills Association. Mr Kriangsak charged that recent lending by the bank amounting 5 billion baht would mainly benefit rice exporters as the bank is very cautious in providing lending millers and particularly those suffering from non-performing loans (NPLs). Krung Thai Bank should adopt financial assistance measures to millers, he said. Simultaneously, Wiboonluk Ruamruk, permanent secretary for Commerce, said that she would invite representatives of the Association, state-owned and private banks for discussions this week on ways to provide financial assistance to millers to enable millers to have money to buy rice from farmers or join in a rice auction. The Commerce Ministry is scheduled to open for a bidding for rice amounting 2.8 million tonnes this Thursday, Ms Wiboonluk said. Paddy rice production this year is estimated at around 27-29 million tonnes. (TNA)