Thailand to Produce 27.17 Million Tonnes of Paddy Rice in 2016

BANGKOK, Feb 14 (TNA) - Thailand has set the target to produce 27.17 million tonnes of paddy rice in 2016 while demand is at 25.01 million tonnes of paddy, said Chutima Bunyapraphasara, permanent secretary for Commerce. This year’s paddy production and consumption is set during a seminar on rice held at the Commerce Ministry headquarters on Sunday. The outcome of the seminar will be considered by the National Rice Policy Committee on February 24 and then forward to the Cabinet for its consideration and approval later. Ms Chutima said negotiations will be held this week with major rice millers requesting them to directly buy rice from farmers with an aim to assist them from selling rice at cheap prices to local millers. A total of 15 major issues were discussed during today’s seminar. Significant topics that were raised during the seminar include designated areas for rice farming, incentive measures to persuade farmers to formally register themselves, whether the number of tractors is enough for use during cultivation; and persuading rice farmers to switch to growing other crops which consume a small amount of water. Other major issues were promoting farmers to grow rice and meet current market demand, developing outstanding rice millers and measures to assist farmers including providing soft loans. (TNA)