low-cost rice sales planned
The Commerce Ministry will sell low-priced rice at Bt110 per 5-kilogram bag this weekend to provide consumers relief from the rising cost of living.
The ministry is targeting sales of 20 million 5kg bags to consumers by early next year.
Deputy Commerce Minister Poom Sarapol said the low-cost rice under the government’s Blue Flag logo would be sold via modern-trade shops nationwide.
Poom said the project to sell cheap rice was part of the National Rice Policy Committee’s strategy to release stocks and ensure that low-income consumers do not suffer from the higher price following the government’s policy to push up the price of rice. The pledging price is set at Bt15,000 per tonne of paddy white rice, while the market price is currently quoted at Bt10,000-Bt12,000 per tonne.
In addition, to ensure transparency in the rice-pledging programme, the government will send a special task force to inspect rice warehouses in 27 provinces nationwide next month to prevent unscrupulous millers and officials cheating on the project.
Meanwhile, the ministry will today meet with producers and traders of construction materials to ask for their cooperation in reducing prices for flood victims.
