Rice Sellers Query Thai Govt's Output Forecast

[webfact]

Rice sellers query govt's output forecast

Achara Pongvutitham,

Pranee Muenphangwaree

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Concerned rice traders and exporters have questioned what they say is the government's exaggerated forecast of the country's rice production, and raised fears that rice from neighbouring countries will circumvent safeguards and find its way into the price-subsidy scheme.

Sharing their views yesterday, they said the government's projected total production of 34 million tonnes of paddy rice for the 2012-13 harvest season was the highest on record. They had two main questions for the government: Was the projection based on the total pledging volume this year? And how can the government prove that all that rice seed is Thai?

They expressed surprise at the Agriculture Ministry's high production estimate. Normally, Thailand's paddy rice production averages 30 million tonnes. The government says the Kingdom's rice production has increased since the launch of the price-subsidy scheme.

Chaired by Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom, the National Rice Policy Committee agreed with the ministry's projected paddy rice production of 16.6 million tonnes for the second-crop

special harvest. The figure has been raised from a previous projection of 13.3 million tonnes. As a result, the ministry has had to ask for an additional budget of Bt49.5 billion to support the price-subsidy programme.

In addition, it projected total rice production from next year's cultivation would reach 34 million tonnes of paddy rice, a reduction from the previous forecast of 37 million tonnes. However, the budget allocated to the subsidy next year remains unchanged at Bt405 billion. The proposal will be submitted for Cabinet approval on Tuesday.

Boonsong added that the government would kick off a "farmer book" programme early next month in 10 provinces. The programme is aimed at establishing a database on how often farmers apply to join the government's price-intervention programme.

"The practice will provide the government with data to track farmers' performance. Irregularities in figures could be used to prove corruption definitively," Boonsong said.

-- The Nation 2012-09-22

[asiawatcher]

The hub of fanciful projections that not even the farmers can believe. More BS PR by a failing Govt.

[Thai at Heart]

Boonsong added that the government would kick off a "farmer book" programme early next month in 10 provinces. The programme is aimed at establishing a database on how often farmers apply to join the government's price-intervention programme.

Well at last that's a start only 30 years to late.

The agriculture department and the companies already have these numbers.

[beano2274]

Is the Agricultural Minister not a certain Mr Red Shirt, maybe he is lining the inside of his new pockets.

[givenall]

Don't forget about white lies

[otherstuff1957]

This forecast will help account for the 3-4 million tons of Cambodian rice that various PT MPs & cronies will import & sell to the government.

If there was a Nobel prize for corruption, the current government would win it!

[Thai at Heart]

This forecast will help account for the 3-4 million tons of Cambodian rice that various PT MPs & cronies will import & sell to the government.

If there was a Nobel prize for corruption, the current government would win it!

Don't think this is an original idea, you've been eating turkish olive oil marked as greek and Italian fir 40 years.

[Sayonarax]

This forecast will help account for the 3-4 million tons of Cambodian rice that various PT MPs & cronies will import & sell to the government.

If there was a Nobel prize for corruption, the current government would win it!

Don't think this is an original idea, you've been eating turkish olive oil marked as greek and Italian fir 40 years.

lol. You sir must be a phone chef.

[bigbamboo]

Remember the story about rice being secretly brought in to Thailand over the Mekong at night and put into Thai bags after which it was miraculously worth double the price.

As Otherstuff says that would help swell the production figures.

[cup-O-coffee]

Regarding their culture, this is what happens when Thais think and speak among themselves. These are the articles that get printed about the things that happen when Thais think and speak among themselves.

Is it any wonder?

[Thai at Heart]

Regarding their culture, this is what happens when Thais think and speak among themselves. These are the articles that get printed about the things that happen when Thais think and speak among themselves.

Is it any wonder?

They religiously cover land titles an tabian baans for the most minute issues, but they cant get a register of house, land and farmland organised to prove that they have over financed 10 percent of production. The only way is to quota production by region and rai. TTM does it every year.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Boonsong added that the government would kick off a "farmer book" programme early next month in 10 provinces. The programme is aimed at establishing a database on how often farmers apply to join the government's price-intervention programme.

Well at last that's a start only 30 years to late.

The agriculture department and the companies already have these numbers.

Books are very easy to cook!!! Databases are only as accurate as the information given to compile them.

Do you not think that this will do absolutely p*** all to make everything transparent and honest. Where there is a buck to be made then that buck will be made!!

In other words, it will be business as usual apart from the wasted money in setting up this scheme and running it.

[Thai at Heart]

Boonsong added that the government would kick off a "farmer book" programme early next month in 10 provinces. The programme is aimed at establishing a database on how often farmers apply to join the government's price-intervention programme.

Well at last that's a start only 30 years to late.

The agriculture department and the companies already have these numbers.

Books are very easy to cook!!! Databases are only as accurate as the information given to compile them.

Do you not think that this will do absolutely p*** all to make everything transparent and honest. Where there is a buck to be made then that buck will be made!!

In other words, it will be business as usual apart from the wasted money in setting up this scheme and running it.

You think the pooyai ban doesn't know already how many rai a farmer plants.? The companies and excise already have all this data for 50 years. Quotas by pledged land coming soon.

[cdnski12]

Hard to believe Govt agricultural projections, in view of the massive flooding and extensive crop damage Thailand has been dealt in the past 3 years. The secretive rice purchases, financed by money coming from "unknown" sources may well be rampant again ... as it has been since 1759.

[473geo]

Great, keep the rice price up, well done, good news for the farmer......

[song0674]

Great, keep the rice price up, well done, good news for the farmer......

Not sure if you meant to be sarcastic or not.....but the "farmer" gets very little profit from all this. Majority of all the rice paddy fields are owned by extremely rich Thai families. The "farmers" are hired (for very little) to do all the real work. The rice industry in Thailand is extremely corrupt and heavily tied with politicians and their policy making. A lot of "old money" in rice. The Thai elite and politicians are all in it....

[473geo]

Great, keep the rice price up, well done, good news for the farmer......

Not sure if you meant to be sarcastic or not.....but the "farmer" gets very little profit from all this. Majority of all the rice paddy fields are owned by extremely rich Thai families. The "farmers" are hired (for very little) to do all the real work. The rice industry in Thailand is extremely corrupt and heavily tied with politicians and their policy making. A lot of "old money" in rice. The Thai elite and politicians are all in it....

Well I guess all those people who object could always send their rice to neighbouring countries and sell it there where the price of rice has found a 'natural' level

I thought too that the government were facing resistance in bringing in the 300 baht a day minimum wage from many on the forum......perhaps you have some comment for the nay sayers on that topic too...as it would surely benefit the low salaried workers you speak of

[AleG]

I find it ironic that the "champion of the poor" grand plan is to manipulate world prices to double the price of the poor's staple food.

[473geo]

I find it ironic that the "champion of the poor" grand plan is to manipulate world prices to double the price of the poor's staple food.

I don't recall seeing burgers mentioned in the thread

[Nickymaster]

Within 2-3 years this country will be bankrupt.

Within 2-3 years Thaksin, his families and his friends will be even more wealthy.

Thailand should wake-up before it is too late.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Nickymaster