Thai rubber farmers sign on for subsidies

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RUBBER
Farmers sign on for subsidies
The Nation



Saturday rally called off; govt's offer only valid for seven months

BANGKOK: -- Rubber farmers in Songkhla and other provinces have started registering for government aid as they are satisfied with the Bt2,520-per-rai fertiliser subsidy for up to 25 rai per farmer.

Deputy Prime Minister Pol General Pracha Promnog quoted Amnuay Yutitham, a protest leader from Nakhon Si Thammarat's |Tha Sala district, as saying that farmers were content with the |new subsidy and had thus called off the huge rally planned for Saturday.

Songkhla's Hat Yai district agricultural officials were sent to make the list of rubber farmers in 12 subdistricts, a procedure that will continue until September 30.

Though many farmers, especially those who grew rubber trees and tapped the latex themselves, were happy with the subsidy, some tappers-for-hire said it would only benefit plantation owners, hence the government should maintain rubber price at Bt90 per kilogram.

In the Northeast province of Chaiyaphum, more than half of the rubber farmers who have registered for the subsidy in 16 districts were found to have no land-title deeds.

Only landowners will benefit

Provincial agriculture officer Udomdech Khonsomboon said Chaiyaphum had 81,192 rai of rubber plantations and some 8,000 farmers. Of these only about 2,000 owned the land, while the majority, or over 5,000, had rented land to grow rubber trees. Hence, he said, there was some concern that the subsidy - aimed for landowners - would not benefit many farmers.

Earlier yesterday, the Cabinet approved the National Rubber Policy Committee's proposal that fertiliser subsidies for rubber farmers be doubled, a subsidy that will last for seven months, from September to March next year. The scheme will cost the government about Bt21.2 billion.

"It is equivalent to a subsidy of Bt12 per kg or Bt2,520 per rai," deputy government spokesperson Chalitrat Chantharubeksa.

The rubber policy committee had previously proposed a subsidy of Bt1,260/rai, but doubled the amount to please rubber farmers in the South, who were threatening to hold a major rally this Saturday to demand that the price of rubber be set at between Bt95 and Bt100 per kg.

However, the government has chosen not to boost the price of rubber as demanded by the protesters, saying the subsidies would help boost farmers' income and help them earn as much as Bt90/kg of rubber.

Meanwhile, Iad Seng-iad - a protest leader from Nakhon Si Thammarat's Chu-uat district, announced that his job was done as he had succeeded in explaining to fellow farmers yesterday morning that the Bt2,520/rai subsidy was equivalent to rubber sheets being sold at Bt90/kg and that the government would not take these subsidies back if the price of rubber rose.

Separately, Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said the rubber farmers' protest has caused the following revenue losses so far;

- Prachuap Khiri Khan lost Bt22 million;

- Chumphon Bt95 million;

- Nakhon Si Thammarat Bt158 million;

- Surat Thani Bt141 million; and

- Phattalung Bt22 million.

Meanwhile, Phitsanulok Democrat MP Nakorn Machim told the press yesterday that 48,000 households of corn farmers were affected by the dropping price of corn.

Hence, a gathering of corn farmers called for the government to maintain the price of whole corn at Bt5.5/kg, up from the current price of Bt3.4/kg and the price of corn grain should be set at Bt10, up from Bt7.

The farmers have said they will wait for an answer for three days before launching a protest like the rubber farmers, he said.

Meanwhile, police spokesman Pol Maj-General Piya Uthayo announced that the national police chief will visit Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani today and tomorrow to make preparations for the rally that might be held on Saturday.

Police are also working on legal action against protesters who participated in rallies between August 25 and September 6, totalling 16 cases, most of which were related to the blocking of roads and railways as well as resisting police.


-- The Nation 2013-09-11

[Torrens54]

Okay, so I just can't help myself. Should the Headline be?

"Thai Rubber Planters Bounce Back."

[Suffinator]

And next the Corn Farmers. Subsides are becoming like Hubs .... way too many to be sustainable.

Thai Government Continually Submitting to the Will of Protesters

[stoli]

So now the subsidy is paid to the landowner for the plantation acreage? That means you start receiving the subsidy as soon as you plant the seedlings, even though it might take 10 or 12 years(??) before the tree provides any rubber compound? Sweet investment for what used to be vacant land, earning nothing. I wish I could own land here.

[tingtongteesood]

And next the Corn Farmers. Subsides are becoming like Hubs .... way too many to be sustainable.

Thai Government Continually Submitting to the Will of Protesters

Thailand will soon be the 'hub of subsidies'

[barrybankruad]

Three months ago my wife planted 7 rai with rubber. Well thank you very much we should get 2520 per rai. It's somrwhat daft that she gets the same as someone with mature producing trees. Although I do believe that young trees need more fertiliser than mature trees. Good to see that only those with chanotes are elegible, this will stop some of the blatant cheating when flood compensation was given.

Mind you everybody in this Country cheats, right from the top down, so I don't blame the lower echlerons.

[Mosha]

So now the subsidy is paid to the landowner for the plantation acreage? That means you start receiving the subsidy as soon as you plant the seedlings, even though it might take 10 or 12 years(??) before the tree provides any rubber compound? Sweet investment for what used to be vacant land, earning nothing. I wish I could own land here.

10-12 years my arse, 6 years or with new clones 4 or 5. Our land lord is the government. Go figure.

[ratcatcher]

And next the Corn Farmers. Subsides are becoming like Hubs .... way too many to be sustainable.

Thai Government Continually Submitting to the Will of Protesters

Yes, soon the PTP reps will be going round the country saying "Friends, farmers, countrymen send us your ears"

[Mosha]

Three months ago my wife planted 7 rai with rubber. Well thank you very much we should get 2520 per rai. It's somrwhat daft that she gets the same as someone with mature producing trees. Although I do believe that young trees need more fertiliser than mature trees. Good to see that only those with chanotes are elegible, this will stop some of the blatant cheating when flood compensation was given.

Mind you everybody in this Country cheats, right from the top down, so I don't blame the lower echlerons.

Ask in the farming forum. Pui varies with age. I hope you are not relying on 7 rai for a living.

[kirk0233]

Now subsidies for rubber farmers; then corn subsidies and next possibly a tobacco subsidy - the government will give in each and every time to make their life easier for their own theft - after all it is not their money, why worry.