Jurin: I haven’t okayed any price rise of basic consumer products
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday that he has not approved any price increase of basic consumer products despite some manufacturers filing an appeal to raise prices due to increasing costs from the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Commerce Ministry stipulated that manufacturers of 18 consumer products and services cannot raise prices without approval from the Department of Internal Trade. They are: instant noodles, eggs and meats, canned foods, bagged rice, seasoning sauces, vegetable oils, carbonated drinks, milk and dairy products, electrical appliances, cleaning products, fertilisers, insecticides, animal feed, iron, cement, paper, drugs and medical equipment, and services of wholesale and retail shops.
“Manufacturers of chemical fertilisers, animal feed, canned foods and construction materials have asked the department to adjust prices upward due to increasing costs of raw materials imported from overseas,” said Jurin.
“The ministry will consider their request on a case-by-case basis to ensure fairness for every party and maintain market stability. The ministry is also working on measures to help reduce people’s cost of living, which should be announced soon,” he said.
Commerce permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit said the ministry was looking into the rising prices of wheat and corn for animal feed, which Thailand imports from Ukraine, one of the world’s major producers.
“In the end we may have to allow animal feed manufacturers to raise product prices to prevent a shortage of feed, as manufacturers are likely to halt production if raw material costs become too high,” he said.
“However, we will try to limit the price rise at a suitable level so that it does not create too heavy a financial burden on farmers,” he added.
