Lower Northern Thai provinces to propose new farm projects

BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - Business in lower Northern provinces are proposing several key agricultural projects during the government’s two-day mobile cabinet meeting, starting Sunday, in Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet provinces. Montri Laohasakprasit, chairman of Kamphaeng Phet Chamber of Commerce, said the proposal will call for government support to make the lower North the rice hub of Thailand, with the central office set up in Phichit province on 150 million baht investment support. The plan also calls for a 233 million baht investment support for a new rice marketing office in Nakhon Sawan province, and another 28 million baht for rice development programme. Among other projects, a new tapioca research and development centre is also proposed for Kamphaeng Phet province to boost tapioca production to 6 tonnes per rai from 3.5 tonnes currently. The province is known to be the second largest tapioca producer in Thailand, averaging 1.9 million tonnes annually. Kamphaeng Phet also has large areas in growing sugarcane, and can produce about 600,000 tonnes of sugarcane per year. (TNA)