PWO cancels at least 600,000-tonne ASEAN maize import plan
Thailand’s PWO has cancelled an ASEAN feed-maize import project of at least 600,000 tonnes, citing domestic prices and farmers’ incomes.
The Public Warehouse Organization (PWO) under the Commerce Ministry has cancelled a project to import at least 600,000 tonnes of feed maize under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), citing domestic market conditions and the need to maintain prices and farmers’ incomes.
PWO Announcement No. 69/2026 revokes Announcement No. 68/2026, issued on Monday (August 24, 2026), which set the criteria, procedures and conditions for bringing feed maize into Thailand under the ASEAN trade framework.
The cancellation takes effect from Thursday (August 27, 2026), three days after the original announcement was issued.
The PWO said the project needed to be managed in a way that reflected current market and economic conditions while delivering the greatest benefit to all affected sectors.
Maintaining the stability of domestic feed-maize prices and protecting the income levels of Thai growers were also cited as reasons for withdrawing the scheme.
PWO invokes project cancellation clause
The original announcement reserved the PWO’s right to reduce, suspend or cancel the project when necessary, with agricultural market conditions and the possible impact on domestic farmers among the principal considerations.
The agency exercised its authority under the 1955 Royal Decree establishing the PWO and its 2025 regulations governing the assignment of PWO operations to private entities.
The cancellation announcement did not provide a revised import volume, replacement programme or new timetable for feed-maize imports under the ASEAN framework.
The decision places renewed attention on how the animal-feed industry will secure raw materials and manage production costs while the government seeks to prevent imported supplies from placing downward pressure on domestic maize prices.
Farmer protection competes with feed supply needs
Thailand’s maize policy has had to balance the interests of domestic growers against the animal-feed industry’s demand for sufficient and competitively priced raw materials.
The Commerce Ministry previously estimated that Thailand requires about 9 million tonnes of feed maize a year but produces only about 5 million tonnes domestically, leaving a shortfall of roughly 4 million tonnes to be covered by imported maize and substitute raw materials.
The cancellation of the ASEAN project gives greater immediate weight to domestic price stability and farmers’ incomes, while feed manufacturers must continue monitoring raw-material availability and production costs.
