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166305
Mon, 03/07/2011 - 12:46
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http://m.oananews.org//node/166305
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Thai rice farmers protest against low rice prices
BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - About 1,000 Thai rice farmers on Monday (March 7) still blocked a main road linking Thailand's northern Phitsanulok Province with nearby Nakhon Sawan Province to demand that the Thai government raise its guaranteed rice price and the amount of rice purchased from local farmers under its rice insurance scheme.
The Thai rice farmers from Phitsanulok, and adjacent provinces, including Sukhothai, Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet, have closed the Phitsanulok-Nakhon Sawan Road for the second consecutive day, saying that they want the Thai government to raise the guaranteed price for unmilled rice to 14,000 baht per ton, from 10,000 baht per ton currently, and the amount of rice it will purchase from local farmers under the schemed from 25 tons to 40 tons per farmer.
The Thai rice farmers said that they were waiting for a response from the National Rice Policy Committee, which was set to hold a meeting on Monday. The farmers' protest has continued with the presence of police who have arranged for traffic detours in front of Naresuan University.
In Bangkok, Noree Srisamuthanak, President of the Thai Farmer Support Association, met Thai Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwannakhiri at the Parliament building to lodge five demands for the Thai government to cope with the declining prices of Thailand's 5-per cent-broken and 100 per cent-white rice. The association said they want the Thai government to increase the amount of rice eligible for the official rice price insurance scheme from 25 tons to 40 tons per 60 rai of paddy fields, raise the guaranteed price for 100-per cent white rice from 10,000 baht to 14,000 baht per ton, divide rice under the price insurance scheme into two categories of 100 per cent white rice and 5 per cent broken white rice; while raising the insured price of 5 per cent broken white rice from 10,000 baht to 12,000 baht per ton and limiting rental fees of paddy fields and cap fertilizer prices.
Meanwhile, another group of some 500 Thai sugar cane growers rallied in front of the headquarters of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party today to demand that the Thai government accelerate relocating a key sugar plant from the country's northeastern Uttaradit Province to Sukhothai to help save their transport and other costs. (TNA)
The Thai rice farmers from Phitsanulok, and adjacent provinces, including Sukhothai, Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet, have closed the Phitsanulok-Nakhon Sawan Road for the second consecutive day, saying that they want the Thai government to raise the guaranteed price for unmilled rice to 14,000 baht per ton, from 10,000 baht per ton currently, and the amount of rice it will purchase from local farmers under the schemed from 25 tons to 40 tons per farmer.
The Thai rice farmers said that they were waiting for a response from the National Rice Policy Committee, which was set to hold a meeting on Monday. The farmers' protest has continued with the presence of police who have arranged for traffic detours in front of Naresuan University.
In Bangkok, Noree Srisamuthanak, President of the Thai Farmer Support Association, met Thai Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwannakhiri at the Parliament building to lodge five demands for the Thai government to cope with the declining prices of Thailand's 5-per cent-broken and 100 per cent-white rice. The association said they want the Thai government to increase the amount of rice eligible for the official rice price insurance scheme from 25 tons to 40 tons per 60 rai of paddy fields, raise the guaranteed price for 100-per cent white rice from 10,000 baht to 14,000 baht per ton, divide rice under the price insurance scheme into two categories of 100 per cent white rice and 5 per cent broken white rice; while raising the insured price of 5 per cent broken white rice from 10,000 baht to 12,000 baht per ton and limiting rental fees of paddy fields and cap fertilizer prices.
Meanwhile, another group of some 500 Thai sugar cane growers rallied in front of the headquarters of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party today to demand that the Thai government accelerate relocating a key sugar plant from the country's northeastern Uttaradit Province to Sukhothai to help save their transport and other costs. (TNA)
