Thailand: rice bill expected to be approved
A committee considering the draft rice law of Thailand had showed optimism that a revised version of the bill will satisfy all relevant parties when it was put into the second debate at the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on February 26.
Illustrative image (Source: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – A committee considering the draft rice law of Thailand had showed optimism that a revised version of the bill will satisfy all relevant parties when it was put into the second debate at the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on February 26.
Chair of the NLA committee Marut Patchotasing led other panellists in discussing the revised bill at a news conference on February 25, according to Bangkok Post.
He stressed how it is not meant to undermine farmers, but rather boost state mechanisms to develop farmers and strengthen rice production and markets.
The legislation will help ensure farmers are not exploited, he added.
Regarding Section 6, five farmer representatives would be allowed to sit on the 14-person committee on rice policy and management, according to Marut.
The panel, based on Section 12, is responsible for ushering in measures that would help address problems facing farmers, and pursue various developments for growers.
He said Section 21 of the bill offers ways of designating suitable rice zones within three years.
The bill's opponents have mainly taken aim at Section 27, however, which they claim prohibits the trading of rice seeds not approved by the Rice Department.
Amidst the gloomy global economy and low consumption of rice, the Foreign Trade Department of Thailand Ministry of Commerce is still confident on the competitiveness of Thai rice in the global market.
In 2019, the department will deploy promotion campaigns targeting major Asian markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, China, the Philippines and Indonesia.
The Thai Ministry of Commerce reported that in 2018, despite fall in exports, Thailand still completed its target of 11.13 million tonnes in export volume and 5,62 billion USD in value, the same as that in 2017.
This year, Thailand aims to export 10 million tonnes of rice, while seeking ways to enhance export value and encouraging farmers to produce high quality rice and rice types with high demands.-VNA
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