Cabinet endorses 35 bil baht to help fruit farmers



BANGKOK, 7 July 2016 (NNT) - The Cabinet has approved a budget of 35 billion baht to help fruit farmers and allowed the Thai Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG) to carry out a portfolio guarantee scheme for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Deputy Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Kobsak Pootrakul said that under the portfolio guarantee scheme, the TCG will act as a guarantor for SMEs and innovative startups. Eligible businesses must be no older than three years. Their loans will be guaranteed by the TCG, which has set aside 10 billion baht to help them gain access to capital, over a period of 10 years.

Single-owner companies can be insured for a maximum amount of one million baht, while corporate businesses will be entitled to a maximum amount of five million baht. Entrepreneurs can lodge an application for the TCG guarantee from now until the end of this year.

As for fruit farmers, the 35-billion-baht budget will be used to support the two-year extension of the debt repayment period, provide loans to farmers to improve water storage capacity, and grow new fruit trees. It will also be spent on organizing a seminar on fruit-growing techniques and market trends.

-- NNT 2016-07-07

Popularist policy?

Surely this money would be better spent on those Chinese subs to give the boys in brown and green something to play with.

Edited July 6, 201610 yr by Reigntax

"Helping gain access to capital... "

Okay, we give them a band-aid. Someday we're gonna have to confront the fundamental failures of the system, aren't we?

Wonder how much of that will be received by the fruit farmers?

One populist policy here, one populist policy there, another over there and a few more in that direction and let's throw some out in this direction and before long we are well beyond 600billion baht.

For the past the 30 years I have lived in this country, Thai farmers were always in debits and always

in need to debits extensions, moratoriums and other monetary assistance, no matter what past governments

did to help, assist and alleviate the situation, those framers, be it rice, rubber, fruits, sugar cane and corn,

were and still are in the crapper when it comes to mange their lives and finances,

it should have been the case of, 'don't give a fish, teach how to fish' policies long time ago, but what you

do when you need those votes to keep you in power?......

Edited July 6, 201610 yr by ezzra

....surely and sadly more than half will go to chemicals and pesticides.....

....good for the chemical companies....and nobody else....

Do the fruit farmers need it ? With such high prices for fruit , shouldn't they be checked for not reporting all their income ?

"Helping gain access to capital... "

Okay, we give them a band-aid. Someday we're gonna have to confront the fundamental failures of the system, aren't we?

Have you ever seen a crystal ball for sale in Thailand?