Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives hassought approval for the upcoming fiscal budget of 411 billion THB (11.4 billionUSD), more than three times higher than the previous budget, aiming to tripleincomes of farmers within the next four years.
Chantanon Wannakejohn, Secretary-General to the Office of AgriculturalEconomics, said on February 14 that the ministry is seeking this amount for itsshort-, medium- and long-term plans to increase farmers' incomes as they arethe largest group of workers in the country.
According to Chantanon, the short-term plan will require 81.6 billion THB,which will be used to promote agro-tourism activities, find new markets, dealwith fishery problems, solve debt issues, and tackle haze pollution.
Itwill also be utilised to set up plans responding to the environmental crisis,promote carbon neutrality, and curb meat smuggling, he added.
Chantanonsaid that an additional 1.4 billion THB will be needed for the medium-termplan, which is designed to introduce advanced farming technologies, such asprecision farming systems.
For the management of free-trade agreement discussions with internationalpartners, supporting new environmentally and economically-suitable cropplantations, and aiding the processing of crops, an extra 26.5 billion THB willbe required, he noted.
A budget of 301.9 billion THB will be needed for the long-term plan to beallocated for improving water management and crop production and upgrading landtitles for farmers.
Chantanon said this year's fiscal budget of 120.6 billion THB will be announcedin the Royal Gazette by April while the fiscal budget for 2025 will beforwarded to the Budget Bureau and the cabinet for consideration./.
