Farmers are handling their paddy in Ayutthaya province on Tuesday. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)AYUTTHAYA: Farmers with the Thai Agriculturalists Association threatened to protest against a government policy that would prevent them from selling their unpolished grains to rice mills outside of their designated agricultural zones. Pramote Charoensilp, the president of the Thai Agriculturalists Association, said on Tuesday the planned policy and limitations will infringe on the rights of farmers. "If the Ministry of Commerce goes ahead with the policy, rice farmers across the country will not stay idle and there will be a national campaign to counter the policy," he said. The ministry recently floated the idea of restricting the trade of grains outside of designated zones, as a form of quality control, after receiving reports of sales of low-grade grains mixed in with high-priced Hom Mali jasmine rice.

Source: Bangkok Post July 02, 2019 07:58 UTC