BANGKOK, 14 October 2014 (NNT) – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday implored farmers not to demand too much assistance from the government, due to the the limited budget available. Meanwhile the government’s rubber policy committee is slated to consider a measure this week to provide rubber tree growers with 2,520 baht per rai of subsidy.
General Prayut said on Monday the government wanted to provide assistance to those who were truly facing hardship, and was not looking to use a great amount of budget. He explained that the aid measures being considered for farmers will not be a repeat of the measures in the past and will not be populist measures. He reiterated that farmers needed to revamp their production process to reduce costs and improve income in a sustainable manner. As for the problem of low rubber prices, Gen. Prayut said he has continually been in discussion with M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula over this issue, and the government was seeking means of assistance for this group of farmers as well. He also called on the rubber tree growers to avoid demanding too much of the government, because the budget was limited.
The rubber policy committee will meet on Thursday to decide on approving four measures for the assistance of rubber tree growers. The measures include the reduction of overall rubber growing area to reduce output, provision of funds to encourage growers to switch from rubber trees to other plants, ceasing of rubber tapping activities at state-owned rubber plantations, and the issuance of 2,520 baht per rai of subsidy to rubber tree growers.
– thainews.prd.go.th
