The Ministry of Agriculture is planning to utilise the central budget to support farmers’ debt relief in case next year’s budget is delayed. The ministry is aligning its plans with the government’s policies, especially Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s strategy of reducing production costs.

 

In an interview before announcing the policy, Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chaiya Phromma stated that the Ministry of Finance will be the main agency implementing the urgent policy of farmers’ debt relief. The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) will be responsible for planning and preparation.

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin who also serves as Finance Minister, has discussed and advised the relevant agencies. The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing a plan to support the farmers during their debt relief period and will continue to provide support for three years to ensure farmers can stand on their own.

 

When asked about the limited remaining budget and the delay in the new fiscal year, Chaiya stated that the Draft Act of the 2024 Budget Expenditure has not yet been submitted to Parliament. However, the Ministry of Agriculture can make certain changes to some of its duties.

 

By Neill Fronde

Caption: Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thai-government-plans-central-budget-use-for-farmers-debt-relief-amidst-possible-2024-budget-delay-2

 

-- The Thaiger 2023-09-11

 

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13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin who also serves as Finance Minister, has discussed and advised the relevant agencies. The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing a plan to support the farmers during their debt relief period and will continue to provide support for three years to ensure farmers can stand on their own.

Why not subsidise farmers by changing the produce they sell?

 

Here's an idea, a rice pledging scheme! 

Relieving the current debt of farmers will lead them into more debt as their perception will be that the government will bail them out again and again. 

Maybe better to teach them to grow other, more valuable crops than rice. I remember visiting some of Rama IX's projects that taught farmers multi crop rotation. It meant they could grow food through the year 

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Why not subsidise farmers by changing the produce they sell?

 

A lot depends on the type of ground, the availability of water for irrigation, the type of produce that you think that they can can sell, the costs of seeds, fertiliser, if you can guarantee that they will make more money than they do now, how much it will cost to buy new equipment, how much they will lose IF they can sell the old stuff, how deep they are in debt already.

 

It isn't that simple.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

A lot depends on the type of ground, the availability of water for irrigation, the type of produce that you think that they can can sell, the costs of seeds, fertiliser, if you can guarantee that they will make more money than they do now, how much it will cost to buy new equipment, how much they will lose IF they can sell the old stuff, how deep they are in debt already.

 

It isn't that simple.

But for decades they've been doing the same and pleading poverty... always poor farmers?