Commerce Ministry pressed to export 1 million tonnes of surplus maize
By English News



BANGKOK, Sept 26 – Thailand’s Internal Trade Department must find ways to export an oversupply of one million tonnes of maize to prevent the falling price of the agricultural produce, according to Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach.

He said that excess maize in domestic market was due to the closure of a private company which earlier bought maize at 800,000-1,000,000 tonnes each year. The country’s total maize production is 4.8 million tonnes.

The Thai Feed Mill Association and animal feed manufacturers have been requested to buy 15 per cent more of maize to help maintain the price of the agricultural produce, he said.

The Cabinet earlier approved a Bt1.907 billion budget to intervene the maize market by spending Bt1.5 billion as subsidy to feed mill manufacturers at Bt1.50 per kg of maize, and Bt225 million to cooperatives which were subsidised Bt1.75 for each kilogramme of maize.

The remaining Bt150 million was to stimulate exports of 300,000 tonnes of maize. Under the export subsidy scheme, exporters are given Bt0.50/kg of exported maize. Five exporters have joined the programme.

Mr Yanyong said the government wanted to maintain the price of maize, purchased by feed manufacturers, at the minimum of Bt8.50/kg while the price in Chicago was set at Bt6.30/kg. The farmer market price is Bt5.50-6/kg.

An informed source in the Commerce Ministry said the Cabinet would possibly be asked to approve additional subsidy to export the one million tonnes of excessive maize. The targeted markets are neighbouring countries including Indonesia and Malaysia.

Maize farmers from seven districts in Nan province rallied at the provincial hall yesterday to reiterate their demands for an extension of subsidy to April 30 next year, and an increase of pledging volumes from 25 tonnes to 50 tonnes. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-09-26

Commerce Ministry Diary, 26th September

Dear Diary,

I am sick of it. Maize for breakfast lunch and dinner and yet the stockpile keeps growing. Its a nightmare. Mrs Phuangrach is constantly on my back to go to the market for something different-anything. The kids threatened to move out if they heard another popcorn batch (kr)pop in the krua. The dogs wont eat it any more and are losing weight, the cats are coughing up corn balls. I am at my wits end. Dear diary, what to do...what to do...

Rice Rubber Maize

When are the Thai farmers going to grow something, that the markets actually want?

Like organic food, a steady growing market, where they apart from being able to make a living without handouts, don't have to poison the soil and surrounding waterways as an added plus!

Commerce Ministry Diary, 26th September

Dear Diary,

I am sick of it. Maize for breakfast lunch and dinner and yet the stockpile keeps growing. Its a nightmare. Mrs Phuangrach is constantly on my back to go to the market for something different-anything. The kids threatened to move out if they heard another popcorn batch (kr)pop in the krua. The dogs wont eat it any more and are losing weight, the cats are coughing up corn balls. I am at my wits end. Dear diary, what to do...what to do...

What a corny tale...!

Commerce Ministry Diary, 26th September

Dear Diary,

I am sick of it. Maize for breakfast lunch and dinner and yet the stockpile keeps growing. Its a nightmare. Mrs Phuangrach is constantly on my back to go to the market for something different-anything. The kids threatened to move out if they heard another popcorn batch (kr)pop in the krua. The dogs wont eat it any more and are losing weight, the cats are coughing up corn balls. I am at my wits end. Dear diary, what to do...what to do...

What about rice?

Commerce Ministry Diary, 26th September

Dear Diary,

I am sick of it. Maize for breakfast lunch and dinner and yet the stockpile keeps growing. Its a nightmare. Mrs Phuangrach is constantly on my back to go to the market for something different-anything. The kids threatened to move out if they heard another popcorn batch (kr)pop in the krua. The dogs wont eat it any more and are losing weight, the cats are coughing up corn balls. I am at my wits end. Dear diary, what to do...what to do...

What about rice?

Or rubber, good exercise for your teeth and gums.

The Cabinet earlier approved a Bt1.907 billion budget to intervene the maize market by spending Bt1.5 billion as subsidy to feed mill manufacturers at Bt1.50 per kg of maize, and Bt225 million to cooperatives which were subsidised Bt1.75 for each kilogramme of maize.

This money is not going to the farmers, it is going to the feed mills and the large corporations operating the cooperatives. So it appears that again the cabinet is supporting the middlemen not the farmers. SSDD

Rice Rubber Maize

When are the Thai farmers going to grow something, that the markets actually want?

Like organic food, a steady growing market, where they apart from being able to make a living without handouts, don't have to poison the soil and surrounding waterways as an added plus!

What would you suggest they grow then? How much of a handout do you think the poor rice farmer has had? By their very definition they are poor, poor farmers are subsistence farmers, if they are lucky they grow enough for the family to eat, there is none left to sell to make use of the much advertised subsidy. That goes to others. Rubber? To try and help the poor farmer some years ago the government of the day encouraged them to grow rubber and even subsidised the purchase of young trees, that in itself was subject to another corruption scandal as many trees were of poor quality or in fact, dead, 7 years later when the trees have matured and they can earn some money, the government changes the price plummets, of course they are not happy. One government tells them to send their money and grow one crop and the next government tells them to rip it up. Organic food? I wouldbe interested in a soil analysis unless you are talking hydroponics.

He said that excess maize in domestic market was due to the closure of a private company which earlier bought maize at 800,000-1,000,000 tonnes each year. The country’s total maize production is 4.8 million tonnes.

It probably went bust if the following is true

Mr Yanyong said the government wanted to maintain the price of maize, purchased by feed manufacturers, at the minimum of Bt8.50/kg while the price in Chicago was set at Bt6.30/kg. The farmer market price is Bt5.50-6/kg.

As would this government if it was a private company

Rice Rubber Maize

When are the Thai farmers going to grow something, that the markets actually want?

Like organic food, a steady growing market, where they apart from being able to make a living without handouts, don't have to poison the soil and surrounding waterways as an added plus!

What would you suggest they grow then? How much of a handout do you think the poor rice farmer has had? By their very definition they are poor, poor farmers are subsistence farmers, if they are lucky they grow enough for the family to eat, there is none left to sell to make use of the much advertised subsidy. That goes to others. Rubber? To try and help the poor farmer some years ago the government of the day encouraged them to grow rubber and even subsidised the purchase of young trees, that in itself was subject to another corruption scandal as many trees were of poor quality or in fact, dead, 7 years later when the trees have matured and they can earn some money, the government changes the price plummets, of course they are not happy. One government tells them to send their money and grow one crop and the next government tells them to rip it up. Organic food? I wouldbe interested in a soil analysis unless you are talking hydroponics.

7 years ago it was a Thaksin government same as today. When are people going to learn that what he says today has a high probability of being completely different tomorrow. How many remember a little over two years ago he said give me 6 months and you will all be rich?

When is this country going to follow the example of the U S and just give them money for not growing a crop?

Turn it into biofuel.

just make :: free popcorn for every thai, problem solved

Rice Rubber Maize

When are the Thai farmers going to grow something, that the markets actually want?

Like organic food, a steady growing market, where they apart from being able to make a living without handouts, don't have to poison the soil and surrounding waterways as an added plus!

What would you suggest they grow then? How much of a handout do you think the poor rice farmer has had? By their very definition they are poor, poor farmers are subsistence farmers, if they are lucky they grow enough for the family to eat, there is none left to sell to make use of the much advertised subsidy. That goes to others. Rubber? To try and help the poor farmer some years ago the government of the day encouraged them to grow rubber and even subsidised the purchase of young trees, that in itself was subject to another corruption scandal as many trees were of poor quality or in fact, dead, 7 years later when the trees have matured and they can earn some money, the government changes the price plummets, of course they are not happy. One government tells them to send their money and grow one crop and the next government tells them to rip it up. Organic food? I wouldbe interested in a soil analysis unless you are talking hydroponics.

Well, according to the reports, those poor rice farmers you mention made an extra 66,000 baht this year on average under the rice pledging scheme. Not sure I would classify many of them as "subsistence" farmers.

There was talk of proper "zoning" here in Thailand a little while ago, i.e. grow the crop that suits the land, not try to force grow things. We'll see if that ever takes off.

As for what the Govt. tells them, it might behoove some of them to actually look to the past and to the future and make their own decisions rather than following blindly what others tell them.

"A maize ing Thailand!"

Of course if it was quota'd and the companies operating had to have contracts for supply with farmers, they wouldn't be able to up sticks and disappear quite so easily would they. But no, lets keep pushing every piece of business risk onto farmers and make the exporters and millers shoulder NOTHING what so ever.

I find this amusing. I was working on the border in Cambodia (South of Aranayapathet) last year and saw huge amounts of corn being grow everywhere, all for export to Thailand.

Rice Rubber Maize

When are the Thai farmers going to grow something, that the markets actually want?

Like organic food, a steady growing market, where they apart from being able to make a living without handouts, don't have to poison the soil and surrounding waterways as an added plus!

What would you suggest they grow then? How much of a handout do you think the poor rice farmer has had? By their very definition they are poor, poor farmers are subsistence farmers, if they are lucky they grow enough for the family to eat, there is none left to sell to make use of the much advertised subsidy. That goes to others. Rubber? To try and help the poor farmer some years ago the government of the day encouraged them to grow rubber and even subsidised the purchase of young trees, that in itself was subject to another corruption scandal as many trees were of poor quality or in fact, dead, 7 years later when the trees have matured and they can earn some money, the government changes the price plummets, of course they are not happy. One government tells them to send their money and grow one crop and the next government tells them to rip it up. Organic food? I wouldbe interested in a soil analysis unless you are talking hydroponics.

Well, according to the reports, those poor rice farmers you mention made an extra 66,000 baht this year on average under the rice pledging scheme. Not sure I would classify many of them as "subsistence" farmers.

There was talk of proper "zoning" here in Thailand a little while ago, i.e. grow the crop that suits the land, not try to force grow things. We'll see if that ever takes off.

As for what the Govt. tells them, it might behoove some of them to actually look to the past and to the future and make their own decisions rather than following blindly what others tell them.

You are absolutely right, they would not be subsistence farmers, they would be the larger landowning farmers in which case they are not poor. That being said I am not sure of your point because I was discussing those 'poor' farmers that cannot produce enough to sell and cannot reap the benefit of the very mechanism put in place to hep the poorest. The poorest farmers, and I do not intend to be rude here, are not the highest educated in society and will follow the path set out by the people they consider their leaders, from headman to local Policeman to local government office officials.