Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Commerce Ministry has called on Thai conglomerates and enterprises to help purchase agricultural products to support farmers.
Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai directed the Internal Trade Department (ITD) to coordinate with department stores, convenience stores, and petrol stations to help purchase products from farmers to ensure the stability of agricultural prices.
Phumtham stressed that the conventional method in which government intervenes to support farm prices is not sustainable. So, the government should seek collaboration from large conglomerates such as PTT, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Thai Beverage, Tops and EmQuartier to help buy agricultural products by leveraging their corporate social responsibility activities.
The 18 categories of secondary crops being monitored include 11 types of fruit such as durian, mangosteen, rambutan, longkong, longan, pineapple, lychee, pomelo, tangerines, marian plum, mango, along with four types of vegetables namely lemons, tomatoes, pumpkins and chilli peppers, and three types of root crops including shallots, onions, and garlic.
Previously, on July 18, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told the permanent secretary of the Commerce Ministry and ITD director-general to take measures to monitor the prices and quality of agricultural products in the second half of the year. One of the measures is to seek collaboration with large conglomerates to help consume agricultural products./.
