NAKHON RATCHASIMA/PHITSANULOK - All 32 districts in Nakhon Ratchasima have allocated space for farmers to sell rice, and the 3rd Army on Wednesday signed a contract to purchase 40 tonnes of paddy from a farmers' cooperative in Phitsanulok.
The moves were in line with the government’s policy of assisting farmers struggling with the price slump.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, more than 20 farmers set up their stalls in front of the Muang district hall to sell milled rice after district chief Naruecha Kosasiriwai turned the area into a temporary farmers' market on Wednesday.
The market was warmly welcomed by local people who came to purchase bags of rice directly from growers. Fragrant Hom Mali rice, brown rice, rice berry and other varieties of rice were on offer.
Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantharanothai said all 32 district offices were asked to allocate space in front of district halls for farmers to sell rice, starting on Wednesday.
Shopping malls, petrol stations and convenience stores in this northeastern province were also being asked to provide space for rice sellers, said the governor. (continues below)
Areas in front of all 32 district halls in Nakhon Ratchasima are being turned into markets for farmers to sell rice. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
On Tuesday, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) promised to help farmers sell their rice at better prices directly to consumers, bypassing millers, who are the traditional middleman.
In Phitsanulok, the 3rd Army on Wednesday signed a contract with the Phrom Phiram agricultural cooperative to purchase unmilled rice worth 380,000 baht.
Under the contract, the 3rd Army would purchase 40 tonnes of unmilled Hom Mali rice with 15% humidity for 9,500 baht a tonne.
Army units will mill some of the rice themselves for use in their kitchens, and part of it will be sold at their bases.
Local officials, soldiers and volunteers were deployed in Muang Phitsanulok on Wednesday to help farmers transport new harvested rice to barns, where it will be stored under the government’s rice mortgage scheme.
Muang district chief Ittipol Buppasiri told farmers to wait for further details of the mortgage scheme, which will be launched before the end of this month.
Farmer Saneh Promsomsa, of tambon Tha Pho in Muang district, said he grew Hom Maili rice on 50 rai and had already harvested about half, yielding 18 tonnes of unmilled rice.
He had sold half of the grain at 6,050 baht a tonne and planned to store the rest under the mortgage scheme.
Lamtian Somboon, from the same community, said she also would join the mortgage scheme as rice prices were still low right now.
Local officials, soldiers and volunteers in Phitsanulok help farmers transport dried, harvested paddy to barns on Wednesday. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)
Commanding officers of the 3rd Army sign a contract to purchase 40 tonnes of paddy from a farmers'cooperative in Phitsanulok on Wednesday. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)