ID :
297486
Sat, 08/31/2013 - 11:05
Auther :

Various means studied to help Thai rubber growers

BANGKOK, August 31 (TNA) - The Thai government is studying various means to assist rubber growers nationwide who are facing impacts from excess supply on the domestic and global markets. Citing the excess supply with a plunge of rubber prices on the world market, Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlaemthong said on Saturday (Aug 31) morning during the weekly TV and radio programme of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra that there are currently more than 300,000 tonnes of rubber stocks in Thailand, about 100,000 tonnes of which are stored by the private sector and the rest by the government. Yukol acknowledged that the Thai government does not plan to export its rubber stock but it will have the natural rubber produce processed and used in the country. Regarding attempts to assist the local rubber growers, Yukol revealed that talks were held with representatives of the rubber growers last Wednesday and it was agreed that the Thai government would help them, among its offered subsidy of rubber prices, by paying for fertilizers for them at the rate of 1,260 baht per rai for growers of rubber plantations of no more than 10 rai (2.5 rai=1 acre). According to the Thai deputy premier, the agreed assistance will be offered directly to the local rubber growers and the proposed idea will be submitted for the Cabinet's further consideration on September 3, 2013 with its approval and immediate implementation expected. The government has also decided to suspend the collection of the rubber export tax imposed at two baht per kilogramme, effective from September 2-December 31, 2013, to boost rubber prices and to encourage exporters to buy more rubber from local growers. (TNA)

X