BT2 BN approved to shore up agricultural prices
The National Farmers Assistance Committee yesterday approved more than Bt2 billion in subsidies to shore up the prices of agricultural goods including pineapples, shrimp, pigs and eggs.TION
However, the committee ordered the suspension of a new project to subsidise the falling price of red onions after rotten stockpiles of the commodity were discovered.
Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom said the government would set up a special panel to investigate the red-onion case, which resulted in more than Bt324 million in losses for the country.
He said the government would not approve a new budget to subsidise red onions, as it wants a clear explanation of what went wrong with the original project from the agencies concerned.
Of the Bt2 billion approved yesterday, Bt1.59 billion would be for purchasing 200,000 tonnes of pineapples at Bt4 per kilogram. The pineapples would be used for processing into canned pineapple, feed meal and fertiliser.
The government will also provide soft loans for pineapple farmers worth Bt15 million.
