Garlic Farmers Barred From Meeting

[sabaijai]

Garlic meeting

MAE HONG SON : A leader of garlic farmers was yesterday barred from attending a meeting called to discuss falling garlic prices that have sparked protests in the Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai.

Farmer leader Niran Jankhaen said Mae Hong Son deputy governor Thaweesak Watanatamarak told him not to attend because his presence might "disturb the talks".

The meeting, chaired by Mr Thaweesak, aimed at setting conditions for garlic farmers in Mae Hong Son for receiving state assistance to the tune of 300 million baht that will be used to buy garlic from farmers in Mae Hong Son and another four northern provinces.

Mr Niran believed his exclusion was a signal of non-transparency that would allow some people to exploit the package.

Representatives of agricultural cooperatives, who were among state officials participating in the meeting yesterday, were most likely to gain.

Traders who had earlier bought garlic from farmers in Mae Hong Son are suspected of having mixed the garlic they had in stock with the new supply bought under the state scheme, Mr Niran said.

He is worried the state help being offered might not be enough to relieve the plight of garlic farmers.

The government plans to spend the 300 million baht on buying garlic at 22 baht per kilogramme.

Mr Niran said the garlic in Mae Hong Son alone is worth nearly 150 million baht.

Source

[Scott]

Well, you certainly wouldn't want a garlic farmer present at the talks now would you? Anyway, the real reason was probably because his breath smelled!

[TAWP]

"Let's talk ABOUT them, not WITH them."

[Briggsy]

Looks like the Chinese have this one boxed off.