Strategies on major Thai farm products to be soon completed

BANGKOK, August 23 (TNA) - A subcommittee tasked with drafting strategies for four major Thai agricultural products is expected to complete the drafts within two weeks. Thai Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Chavalit Chookajorn told reporters of the schedule on Saturday, following a meeting of the subcommittee, chaired by a deputy chief for economic affairs of the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), General Chatchai Sarikalya. Chavalit revealed that the strategies are for corn, tapioca, palm oil and sugarcane, aimed at improving their quality and boosting their production and exports. Chavalit, who is also the subcommittee chief, suggested that more research projects be conducted on Thai agricultural products to help growers and exporters on a sustainable basis. Meanwhile, Thai Army and NCPO Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said during his weekly address on Friday night he was informed that a Chinese firm, named China Oversea Investment Service Ltd., is interested in buying 20,000–30,000 tonnes of Thai tapioca monthly for a one-year period, and that rubber growers are planning to ask for assistance from the NCPO, as domestic rubber prices have fallen sharply, noting that the junta will, therefore, try to prevent the rubber prices from falling below 50 baht per kilogramme. (TNA)