Thai Commerce Min urgently prevents agricultural price drop

[webfact]

Ministry of Commerce urgently prevents agricultural price drop

BANGKOK, 28 June 2016 (NNT) - Minister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn has instructed provincial commerce departments to prevent a price drop of fruits and urgently encourage farmers to utilize the government’s measures issued for them.

The minister on Monday delivered policy on promotion and development of regional economies and trade to provincial commerce departments nationwide. She stressed that it was necessary for them to make sure that prices of fruits, especially southern fruits, and rice would not drop. The minister added that farmers needed to know how to reap the most benefits from the government’s measures to assist them.

It was also necessary for provincial commerce departments to help strengthen SMEs, community enterprises and farmers’ groups so that they were able to increase the value of their products, said the minister.

Ms. Apiradi added that provincial commerce departments should help farmers learn about how to buy products and services which could help decrease the cost of living.


-- NNT 2016-06-28

[ChrisY1]

Dreamtime economics.......prices must not move......!

[waldroj]

"... Minister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn has instructed provincial commerce departments to prevent a price drop of fruits ...".

Sounds like price-fixing or manipulating the market!

It may not be on the same scale, but, isn't this what the Yingluck-government did with rice? And, wasn't this action one of the reasons the junta used to usurped power?

[worgeordie]

The Farmers get the benefits,while the majority pay more.

regards worgeordie

[Winniedapu]

Any government meddling with prices in the marketplace is likely to cause more problems than it resolves.

Incompetent governments are doubly dangerous because

1. They are incompetent, and

2. They think they aren't incompetent.

and

3, It's a populist policy to 'help' farmers vote the right way in the referendum.

Not sure this is a wise thing to do, but hey, Humpty and Dumpty know best.

I suppose.

Winnie

[phoenixdoglover]

As a constant thread in just about every pronouncement concerning farmers, is the clear attitude of the Bangkok elite: farmers are stupid; they must be taught even the most basic things.

Today's admonition: "Ms. Apiradi added that provincial commerce departments should help farmers learn about how to buy products and services which could help decrease the cost of living."

[Jonmarleesco]

'Minister of Commerce Apiradi Tantraporn ... on Monday delivered policy on promotion and development of regional economies and trade to provincial commerce departments nationwide. She stressed that it was necessary for them to make sure that prices of fruits, especially southern fruits, and rice would not drop ... It was also necessary for provincial commerce departments to help strengthen SMEs, community enterprises and farmers’ groups so that they were able to increase the value of their products ... provincial commerce departments should help farmers learn about how to buy products and services which could help decrease the cost of living.'

There's a difference between assisting groups and teaching good business practice, and preventing price drops. Just ask the PTP.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

How can ignorrant civil servants with no practical knowledge of farming teach farmers thats been farming their whole lives ? How will government increase prices without it being populist policies and why should consumers pay more than the market price for products ?