A majority of people want the government to support offices in each province in buying rice directly from farmers in the wake of a deep price slump, according to Super Poll, a polling and research agency.
The survey was conducted on Oct 1-5 on 1,351 people throughout the country to compile their opinions concerning the matter.
Asked what they thought had caused this problem, most or 42.6% of the respondents blamed it on inefficient marketing mechanisms; 27.9% said it was a political game; 26.5% pointed to groups of investors losing benefits. Only 3.0% said farmers themselves were to blame.
Most, or 94.7% of the respondents, agreed with the government going to meet with farmers to get first-hand information without going through representatives, while 5.3% disagreed.
An overwhelming majority of the respondents, or 97.7% said all sides should stop putting blame on one another and concentrate on solving farmers' problem.
Most of the respondents, 90.4%, wanted the government to instruct its offices in each province to buy rice directly from farmers.
Also, 90.7% of the respondents, said the government should support farmers in each province by investing in harvesting machines, paddy-drying grounds, rice mills, as well as packaging and distribution channels.