|
Thailand's
Rice Policy 2000/01
The 2000/01 rice policies show a slight
reduction in both the budget and the purchase volume. In the
1999/2000 policies, the government was allowed to trade up
to 750,000 metric tons. In 2000/01 policies, the government
trade volume has been reduced to just 500,000 metric tons.
However, this reduction is more than offset by a 750,000 metric
ton increase in the intervention quota for the Marketing Organization
of Farmers and the Public Warehouse Organization from 250,000
metric tons to 1,000,000 metric tons. However, the budget
allocated to the Royal Thai Airforce and the National Security
Command/Supreme Command Headquarter has been reduced from
5 and 15 million baht to 2.5 and 10 million baht, respectively.
The price ceiling and mortgage rate of
the main crop paddy remain unchanged from the 1999/2000 policies.
Thailand's 2000/2001
Rice Policies
|
I. General
Policies
|
| - The
rice trading structure will emphasize the private sector.
Inter-government rice trade will take place on a case-by-case
basis, and only if it is necessary. |
| - Maintain
the stability of paddy rice prices. Paddy trade will occur
under the supervision of agricultural groups, co-operatives,
the central paddy market, and paddy rice traders, including
responsible governmental agencies. |
| - Maintain
the government's rice stock at an appropriate level, which
is enough to feed the population. |
| - The
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives will
be in charge of issuing trade credits for farmers, according
to each rice mortgage program. |
| - If
necessary, the Bank of Thailand and the Export Import
Bank of Thailand (EXIM) will be responsible for allowing
trade credit to paddy rice traders and rice exporters. |
|
II. Specific
Measures
|
|
Price Assistance Program for Milled
Rice
|
1.
Accelerated Rice Exports Program |
| - Inter-government
rice trade, under the Department of Foreign Trade, must
be under 500,000 metric tons per year. |
| - Rice
exports within the International Rice Pool shall be supervised
by the Department of Foreign Trade, Public Warehouse Organization,
and the Marketing Organization for Farmers. |
| - The
Department of Foreign Trade will apply the mark of quality
for exports of Hom Mali rice (Fragrant Rice). |
| 2.
The Public Warehouse Organization and the Marketing Organization
for Farmers can each import 500,000 metric tons of rice,
or a total of 1,000,000 metric tons. The Bank for Agriculture
and Agricultural Cooperatives will offer to administer
the mortgage contracts. |
|
Price Assistance Program for Paddy
|
- The
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives will
accept paddy mortgages from small-scale farmers and members
of the Farmers Institute. The mortgage contracts will
be kept at the Public Warehouse Organization and the Marketing
Organization for Farmers, with a quota of up to 2.5 million
metric tons. |
| - Credit
link services for agricultral cooperatives' rice marketing
and production. The total credit amounts to 1,500 million
baht, 1,000 million baht of which comes from the Agricultural
Supporting Fund and 500 million baht from the Joint Aid-Fund
for Farmers.. |
| - The
Agricultural Cooperatives' Fund for communal rice paddy
storage, amounting to 100 million baht. |
| - Rice
paddy market intervention by the Ministry of Interior,
amounting to 300 million baht. |
| - Rice
paddy price intervention by the Royal Thai Air Force and
the National Security Command / Supreme Command Headquarter,
amounting to 2.5 and 10 million baht, respectively. |
|
Supportive Credit Measure
|
- The
Bank of Thailand's financial support for rice paddy traders,
amounting to 20 billion baht, and exporters under the
Export Import Bank of Thailand's supervision, amounting
to 20 billion. |
|
III Price
Ceiling for Main Crop Paddy Mortgages
|
|
Rice Type
|
Price Ceiling (Baht)
|
Mortgage Price (Baht)
|
|
2000/2001
|
1999/2000
|
2000/2001
|
1999/2000
|
|
Fragrant Rice
|
6,840
|
6,840
|
6,495
|
6,495
|
|
100% White Non-Glutinous Rice
|
5,560
|
5,560
|
5,280
|
5,280
|
|
5% White Non-Glutinous Rice
|
5,460
|
5,460
|
5,185
|
5,185
|
|
10% White Non-Glutinous Rice
|
5,260
|
5,260
|
4,995
|
4,995
|
|
15% White Non-Glutinous Rice
|
5,160
|
5,160
|
4,900
|
4,900
|
|
25% White Non-Glutinous Rice
|
4,960
|
4,960
|
4,710
|
4,710
|
|
10% White Glutinous Rice (long grain)
|
6,200
|
6,200
|
5,890
|
5,890
|
|
White Glutinous Rice
|
5,900
|
5,900
|
5,605
|
5,605
|
Source: The National Rice
Policy and Measures Committee, Department of Internal Trade
|
