New 5-year rice plan to halve costs, launch 12 new Thai strains
The Rice Policy and Management Committee on Wednesday approved the five-year national rice strategy (2020-2024), said Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.
The strategy offers guidelines on adding value to Thai rice.
It also aims to reduce the cost of cultivating rice from the current level of about Bt6,000 per rai to Bt3,000 per rai, while at the same time boosting yield from 456 kilos per rai to 600 kilos.
Jurin added that the strategy would introduce 12 new strains of Thai rice by 2024, as part of ongoing efforts to tap new markets.
He also urged state agencies to ask China to import an additional 100,000 tonnes of Thai rice this year under the existing memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
Under the deal, China will purchase one million tonnes of rice from Thailand, of which 700,000 tonnes has already been purchased.
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