A committee deliberating a controversial rice bill has expressed confidence that the revised version of the legislation will satisfy all interested parties as it heads to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for its second and third readings on Tuesday.
Gen Marut Patchotasing, chair of the NLA committee, led other panellists in discussing the revised bill at a news conference Monday.
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 would help ensure farmers are not exploited, he added.
The bill has been revised in an appropriate manner with clearer wording, he said.
Regarding Section 6, five farmer representatives would be allowed to sit on the 14-person committee on rice policy and management, according to Gen 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.
They said this section was designed to benefit large-scale commercial producers while smaller farmers, who have developed and relied on indigenous rice varieties, would get into trouble.
Violators are liable to a jail term of one year and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
Gen Marut said Section 27 obliges the department to examine and certify varieties of rice subject to trade, but this does not apply to indigenous rice or newly grown strains. Individuals are not barred from petitioning the department to have their strains certified, he noted.
If low-quality indigenous seeds are distributed, a prohibition order could be issued, he said.
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