Thai PM encourages organic rice farming

BANGKOK, October 18 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has encouraged local farmers to engage in growing organic rice to improve their livelihood and consumers’ health. In his weekly address on Friday evening, General Prayut said in his recorded speech that his interim government would like to encourage farmers to grow more organic rice to increase their income because they do not have to use pesticide, while consumers will also have better health as they consume more organic rice. The prime minister said if this wishful programme succeeded, it could encourage more people to visit Thai rice farming and help the country to sustain development. To also boost farmers’ income, the prime minister urged local agricultural cooperatives to produce organic fertilisers and sell or exchange it with farmers, as organic fertilisers are environmentally-friendly. Regarding the government’s subsidy already given to rice farmers and rubber growers, the prime minister indicated that the assistance should stop if it created financial problems to the government. The prime minister noted that the Cabinet has given the green light on setting aside a budget to assist local farmers who have been affected from 2014 and 2015 drought and unable to grow rice during the summer, saying that the help will be offered to 398,347 farmers in 26 Thai provinces, mostly in the Central region. The financial assistance will be taken from the government’s 2015 fiscal expenditure, starting from October 1, 2014. (TNA)