Farmers to protest against drop in guaranteed price
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Farmers' groups in 10 provinces are preparing to hold rallies to voice their opposition against the government's decision to cut the minimum price of rice under its rice-pledging scheme to Bt12,000 per tonne.
Thai Farmers’ Association chairman Prasit Bunchoey told the press yesterday that a date would soon be chosen on when farmers will hold a peaceful gathering outside the city halls in the 10 provinces. At the protest, they will submit petitions addressed to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra asking that the guaranteed price remain at Bt15,000 per tonne.
Prasit said the association had initially told the government that Bt12,000 was good enough before the scheme was launched at Bt15,000. “The government stubbornly decided to set the rate at Bt15,000. Now the farmers will have to bear the brunt of the rate being dropped to Bt12,000, even though it is not our fault,” he added.
Three Pheu Thai MPs also joined the protest against the price reduction. Party-list MP Chawalit Witchayasut, Lamphun MP Sanguan Phongmanee and Phitsanulok MP Niyom Changphinit jointly said that the Bt3,000 difference in price would affect the farmers very badly. Sanguan said he believed the Bt12,000 price can never be enforced because the farmers will fight against it.
