FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Ministry plans to extend help to longan farmers as prices plummet

Ministry plans to extend help to longan farmers as prices plummet

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on said on Wednesday (August 5) that he was planning to propose at next week’s Cabinet meeting that a subsidy of Bt2,000 per rai be provided to longan farmers to ease their burden brought on by plummeting prices. The subsidy will be capped at 25 rai.

“Longan farmers are suffering from a sharp drop in price as many fruit processing factories reduced their orders out of fear that they will not be able to export to China, which is the largest market for the fruit, due to Covid-19,” he said. “About 70 per cent of longan grown in the country is processed into dried fruit for export, while only 30 per cent is domestically consumed.
“The ministry has also tasked the Department of Agriculture Extension with boosting domestic consumption by providing online sales channels to match sellers and customers in different provinces, especially from the third week of August, which is when longan harvests reach their peak,” Chalermchai added.
As of August 4, E-dor breed longan of AA grade was being sold for Bt26 per kilogram, A grade at Bt21 per kilo, B grade at Bt15 and C grade at Bt8. The average cost of producing longan is Bt10.8 per kilogram.

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